Kotaki Brothers and Shikuhakku (2020)

A simple cozy and sometimes bittersweet dorama

This is one of those nuggets of gold we find from time to time. I started watching because the poster seemed fun, it had great actors and it was only half an hour per episode.

What I got in return was hours of joy, smiles, laughs and reflective moments. At the beginning of each episode a word is presented to us and by the end we get its meaning and how it relates to the episode story.

At moments I got to relate to each of the three main characters. It made me pause and reflect sometimes about my life, but in a positive way. No existential crisis.

In short, if you are looking for something good to watch, I highly recommend you hire these oyajis (ie pick up this show).

PS: The opening is dope af

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"Keep on walking"

Some odd moments in the first episode made me fall in love (yes it was the crowbar :D) . Amazing storytelling with a surprising plot. Some bittersweet themes. Interesting directing.

I liked how after each episode there was a word that kind of wrapped up what the theme for each episode was. These was also character growth and this really interesting vibe you get from visiting small cafes. Starting this I thought that I'm not that into slice of life dramas, but this one proved me wrong.

The OST was amazing!!!! I think this one had like three songs, but I liked to hear them all!!!

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Rental Clarity

Its been a while since I've been so emotionally involved with a show. Each episode, from beginning to end, was so intense and left me on the edge of my seat of what would happen next. I feel like this could have been a movie, it all flowed so perfectly together. But I believe this story was made in to a 12 episode show to give viewers time to collect themselves and review (talk about) the information from each episode before moving on to the next and the next, until the end. As the story continued to build, each character really created a special position for themselves within the story. It was really great to watch each character grow as their own person, but it was really nice to see how it reflected on the main characters, too.


As the Kotaki brothers continued their work, it was nice to see how reflections of each character mirrored back to the brothers. It was like watching a strong foundation being built from the ground up, and how each crack and "imperfection" would be fixed along the way to make the best foundation possible. It was interesting to see the differences in humanity, too; supporters, heartbreak, new relationships, etc.


People have compared this story to "Midnight Diner", and I can see why, the ambience or atmosphere of this show is pretty familiar; but that's where the familiarity stops. I think this show is an underrated gem, it has great power to stand on its own as a fantastic story of mystery, familial and friendly love relationships, etc; and the story of humanity at its best. How to get back up on your feet after falling down, how to ask for help even if you don't want to, how to change, or how to be the best version of yourself.


This show really had a wonderful back story. It was extremely interesting to see the differences between, not only the brothers, but in the humans and community around them. It was nice to watch them build up their careers as well; I really like the idea of a "rental person" to help with personal, private, or just random things. The story, without giving too much away, was very beautiful; about building connections, building oneself, and the hardships while doing so. This story is absolutely one of the best I've seen this year.

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