Saint☆Oniisan (2018)

Firstly, this live-action series filled with shorts is loosely based on the anime and manga, which is also about the daily lives of Jesus and Buddha on Earth in Japan. However, this is more situated in the one-room apartment that they share and they don't go out at all. The casting choices for both Jesus and Buddha were spot on and I loved the details that they added from each religion. However, I do believe you do need an understanding of how Buddhism and Christianity/Catholicism (as well as Japanese culture) work in order to understand the religious aspects that they use for comedy - i.e. the use of "Amen" in katakana written on Jesus' T-shirt in one of the shorts. The show is extremely light-hearted and should be seen by all, despite its religious contexts. That being said, it is definitely not a show for hardcore atheists nor hardcore religious people. The show definitely brings the comedy into the religion, and, as a Catholic myself, it's definitely not an offensive show by any means. In fact, I had a good laugh at all the Catholic/Christian things that were mentioned. It is definitely something you can only watch once though.

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I have yet to read the manga or see the anime series, however, this is one of the simplistically funny, more unique, talented, ridiculously charming shows I have ever seen!

The cast was spectacular! It's always nice to see Sato Jiro in any role, but he was hilarious! It was also very interesting to see Sometani Shota as Buddha; he was really fun to watch throughout the show with his different "emotions" and I'm very interested in seeing how he will reprise the role in the movie and the upcoming special. This is, however, my first time seeing Matsuyama Kenichi in anything but it will not be my last, he makes a very convincing and adorably hilarious Jesus!

The show itself is 10 separate shorts instead of full-length episodes and I believe that that is why the show is such a laugh riot and is so charming to viewers. However, I think it would have done just as well as a special or movie; each short blended into the next so well, as if it were already a movie or you were reading from the manga. Which makes me wonder how true the live-action version(s) are to the manga?

This is a good show to watch if you're a fan of the series or if you're just starting to watch Japanese dramas. It isn't too religious but it does have some "teachings" within each episode, but it doesn't really get preachy or even too comical when it comes to discussing or mentioning or even describing certain people, places, aspects, or reasonings within any one religion. It's more so a teaching guide that is very honest and "real" with how Buddha and Jesus lived and are as people(s).

This show is hilarious and very sweet; definitely a good one for rewatching or if you're just starting out with foreign/Japanese dramas and/or shows!

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