Vita~Amore in Riga (2020)

OMG! I really like it

OBS: Many people are saying that is not as good as the manga. Ok, probably yes, but I haven't seen the manga yet so my review is based only on this dorama.

First of all I want say that I'm in love with Yuuki, he's so cute (I want a Yuuki in my life).
At one point in story I was really hoping that he would find someone who didn't make him suffer, but Akira was the love of his life.
I was expecting something tragic would happen, but I really like the happy ending,

The final scenes made me think on many decisions I made in my life just to fit a society standard.

I cried when I saw Xiang Hao Ting e Yu Xi Gu from history3: MODC. OMG.

I love the story, the music, acting, visuals. Everything. If I was asked if there was something I didn't like, I would say the story was a little rushed, it could have had more episodes with a slower passage of the timeline.

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Beautiful True Love Depicted

I’ve seen mixed reviews on this but I just have to say I read the manga before watching the show and I LOVED both the show and the manga very much!!!!

I thought that the actors for the show did a phenomenal job. They conveyed there emotions very well and there was no awkwardness at all. I could feel there love for one another through the screen. I would actually love to see some of the other films/tv shows they have acted in.

They went by the manga for mostly all of the episodes and I appreciated seeing that. They gave more context for certain details that may have been lost while reading the manga and translated it to screen. I think they depicted the age gaps well too. For 4 episodes only, I feel that they did a great job including the most important aspects. Actually now that I think of it, I would have loved to see more of them in their early 20s depicted on screen because that was like one of there honeymoon phases and I’m a hopeless romantic lol but that’s just a personal preference not complaining. Also, the show stopped at age 40 and they could have gone on throughout there entire lives but I understand why they chose not too.

One thing I really want to touch on was the breakup. I felt really bad after watching that episode especially because of how Akira broke up with Yuuki. It’s sad that Akira felt like he had to live normally with a wife but unfortunately that is something that people who are apart of the LGBTQ+ community have to deal with in there everyday lives. It’s a realistic issue. When he called there relationship a “fruitless relationship” I just about jumped at the screen. Imagine being with someone for 10 years or so and that’s what they say when they break up with you. He didn’t have to do all that to poor Yuuki. None of that was called for. I wanted to see him suffer for how he went about that situation and I’m glad we got to see him pining on the last episode tbh lol

Shoutout to Akira’s sister for being a TRUE ally!!! We love to see it!!!

Also, History Make Our Days Count was one of my favorite shows that I watched and I’m glad the two main characters made a cameo. It was an unexpected but lovely surprise!!!

Overall, loved the show!!! Would totally rewatch!!!

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An underrated masterpiece

"Reality is just imagination"
Their story started in high school - with two teenagers and an imagination. They were one of a kind and unique stars shining brightly amongst many others, waiting to be connected into a constellation.
"Life Senjou no Bokura" can arguably now be one of my favorite dramas of all time. It was such a beautiful and tear-jerking love story between two boys who are growing up and finding themselves. One of them (Akira) grows up from his imaginative phase and starts to live in the realistic mentality that society's imprinted on everyone; a decent job, a "normal" partner, a family, children. Meanwhile, Yuki never wants to grow up from his child-like fantasies, and lives on with his creative imagination and a playful heart.

The story: It was phenomenally portrayed. I loved the concept of showing significant times and events from different times in their lives. The story started off extremely adorable and progressed into something straight out of a masterpiece. I loved the gradual storyline and the realistic approach to everyday struggles and life. I'm still amazed at how they made me feel so many emotions through merely four episodes!

Acting/Cast: It could not have been better. Amazing! The actors were the perfect fit for their roles, and they evoked the perfect amounts of emotions at the perfect times. Their chemistry was one of the most natural out there! There were no signs of any awkwardness, and made me feel like I was watching a real couple. I'll definitely be checking out their future works.

Music: As someone who isn't a music fanatic, I loved the soundtrack! It resonated with me, and it invoked a lot of emotions.

Rewatch value: 10/10. I'll definitely be wanting to revisit Akira and Yuki's story! I'm going to miss them.

Overall: 10/10.

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Loved every single episode!

So finally the last episode came out! I won't lie I was kind of on the fence about watching it while the other episodes weren't out. I won't be doing that again because waiting for the next episode was excruciatingly painful.

Akira and Yuki...my next best couple. The first episode got me hooked, I liked how weird and open they were when they first met. Although it's fast paced the acting wasn't. We got to feel the emotions they felt, nothing was rushed or squished together.

My favorite character was Yuki for sure, such a pure heart. I can't begin to tell you the amount of times I wanted to jump into my laptop and give him a hug. I just wanted to protect him; so naturally I was angry when Akira broke up with him. The only thing I wasn't a fan of was how quickly they got back together(ironically I felt it was rushed). I wanted more, I wanted anger, more tears, I wanted Akira to work harder in gaining Yuki's trust again. It's not like they broke up for a month and feelings were still fresh, rather it was years.

What I also loved was: even though it was fast paced the topic on self acceptance kept popping up and was resolved in a 'beautiful' manner. Akira finally realizing that living according to the book or peoples expectations wasn't going to make him truly happy. Once he put those feelings aside and accepted himself was one of my highlights. Same as Yuki coming out to his mom (whom by the way deserves trophy for best mom ever).

The drama was great, loved it and would rewatch it a million times more. I just wish the last episode was a bit longer so we could bask in their happy ending a bit more, 30 seconds was not enough for me. They don't have to show us their entire timeline like in the book but a bit more happy ending would have fluffed up my world.

I would recommend this show for sure.

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A light romance

I really loved life-love on the line more than I thought I would, the little scenes and stares between the leads made me want more and more I remember I watched the first episode not expecting much but when I actually finished it I couldn’t stop repeating it over and over again until the next episode was uploaded, I noticed some differences between the manga and the serie but they weren’t major so I give it a thumbs up for that.

1)Acting
I’m a novice on acting but overall I think it was good, when the leads would smile I would smile too and I think that says everything about their acting

2)Ost
I really really loved the OST even the intro!! There’s little chances of me actually liking one but I really loved this one and the other songs that were played throughout the serie especially go through, grow through by Ryu Matsuyama, I don’t even know what it is about the song that made fall in love with it I get tingles everytime I listen to it.

3)Plot
Since is based on a manga there was a high chance of actually flopping but overall I think this serie did great, some extra actions were added which made it way better than it was already in the manga

If I could go to the past and choose if to watch it again I definitely would, I don’t know what it is about this serie that is so short yet so full of emotions so lovely I truly wish it could be longer.

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One of the best BLs i've watched in awhile.
Even though there are so many BL series coming out lately, i can't seem to like most of them because of the loose plots and acting.
But this is so good.
The story goes along well as the title suggests.
Both the actors portrayed their roles really well.
The story depicts the real life situation for a family.
How parents are obsessed about their sons and daughters to be normal.
How we struggle in life to pretend like we're normal to fit in the society.
But in the end, what's being normal anyway.
These are all well portrayed.
We should just decide for ourselves. It's our lives anyway.

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A serious drama with a cotton candy ending (sadly).

A serious undertaking - for at least 75% of the time, before it turns into a soapy melodrama in the last fifteen minutes; or rather, more like a fairy tale. Japan is great with dramas in general - as Thailand is playful with LB series... and this production is no cotton candy... even when the end is sheer nonsense and unadulterated fantasy.

The acting is good - on occasion, it becomes extraordinary; and, although there is no electric chemistry between the two main characters, there performances are very convincing.

Music and rewatch values are high... though the latter category remains meanigless and obscure to me (but being a request from the administrators, I never fail to mention it - sigh).

The plot is flawed, however: it starts out strong, with a sweetness typical of adolescence. Then, it grows into something quite dramatic and poignant towards the middle, injecting a dose of reality one associates with Japanese productions: punget, real, sometimes painful.

The problem, as I see it, is the Disneyland ending: too happy, too much of a fairy tale... as if they had changed writers and hired Mrs. Heart to write a happy ending and adorn it with curls. A truly disconnected ending which to me ruined the production - though it must have made ga-ga watchers twirl!

Had the producers stuck to the expected heart-broken, life teaching lesson... this would have been an excellent real life drama. It is still worth while watching it - specially if you are all about happy endings, no matter how fake.

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As expected from Japanese dramas, realistic, bittersweet and beautiful

The story was realistic and probably showed the things almost all gay people go through. I liked the starting point of walking on the line obsession. There was lots of thing similar to that. Things that we all know but don't care about it much. This drama makes us realize those things and after watching this 1,5 hour series you'll feel that you won't forget this one ever. It took a place in my heart. Also when i saw the History Make Our Days Count couple i was shocked hahaha.

Their acting was PERFECT and 100% NATURAL. If I could give, I would give it a 99999999999999999.

The music was sooo beautiful. Especially that one in the end. However we didn't hear it much since it was more about the story.

I will watch it again after some time passes.

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Real Love

I know I will upset a lot of people when I say this but those two DESERVE EACH OTHER. & that's all I will say about that lol.

I recommend this if you want something short and sweet to get you through waiting for your next series episode, or you just want to binge something that's like a mini-movie. Understand that this show goes through a LOT in just 4 episodes.

There is a myriad of emotions that one will encounter during these episodes just be prepared. It is totally worth it, i really appreciated the growth of the main character and the understanding that they have for each other. It touches on the complications and the stigma associated with unsupportive parents and trying to fit in to what society deems normal.

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Stunning and Evocative

One of the most heart wrenching and beautiful stories I have ever had the chance to entertain. From the use of extended metaphor to the acting and overall societal lessons, this one is solid gold. I cried tears of pain and joy many times throughout the series. A masterpiece really.

The portrayals of betrayal and pain and pure bliss and innocence, not once was I unconvinced by every actor in this series. I truly felt that they were 17 then somehow 40 with the same exact faces. The dot/line metaphor that continues throughout the series felt totally uncontrived and natural, which I have seen hard to do with other extended metaphor. Self-acceptance is always much harder than we think and in that time of not accepting ourselves we lose and become self-destrucive. It’s a lifelong journey and this series did an amazing job of convincing me that it is a journey worth taking despite how difficult things become along the way. We are all dots seeking a cure to loneliness by connecting to other dots, but despite that the series begins every episode with that paraphrased idea, its the fact that we are on our own lines that is the hardest battle. Connecting can only be achieved once we straighten ourselves out.

Again a beautifully told story by all the people involved. Thank you all for this gift.

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Real Love

This series was incredible. It was one of the first series that I watched and it actually depicted a real relationship, and how they can sometimes be. The concept of the show was beautiful, and all acting was amazing as well. This served as my very first Japanese series, and they absolutely killed it, I'm so excited to dive in and see more of what Japan has to offer.

Let's dive in.

This is one of the first series that I’ve seen where the couple actually grows with each other and gets older. Seeing them go through high school and college and then adulthood really added some needed flavor to this series. I think that aspect of the story was the best, and it made me fall more in love with this couple as they progressed.

This was a really beautiful story that was told. Ito Akira had me feeling so bad for him, but at the same time, I was so upset with him and society. He saw all of his other coworkers getting married and having kids, and he felt like he couldn’t do that with a man, no matter how in love he was. Raiku did an amazing job at paying Nishi. My favorite characters are always the ones that are the happiest and the bubbliest and I fell in love with him as soon as I saw his childlike ways.

My favorite part was definitely the end when they meet back up at the northern lights. It was also nice to see the little cameo of Wayne and Huang from MODC, it was definitely not expected.

The only thing I would argue about is the fact that Nishi had the exact same hairstyle for 20 years. Even though he is childlike and always bubbly, he still had a maturity growth somewhere in there, and even though this is a bit nit-picky, I just really wanted to see more of his growth throughout his adulthood, and some of that starts in his hair.

The show was real and raw, but cinematically perfect. This is definitely now one of my all-time favorite series.

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Such a nice start kind of disappointed by how it turned out

This Drama started off extremely well in my opinion, I absolutely loved every second of the first episode. I was actually surprised by how much I liked it since I’m usually not that big a fan of Japanese productions. The fact that I liked the first episode that much may be the reason I was kind of disappointed by how the rest of the Drama went.
The higher the expectations the deeper the disappointment right?

The actors were all well chosen, fit their characters nicely and did a good job at portraying their roles.

In General there was nothing really wrong with the story line itself, however the execution was kind of off to me. The whole things seemed extremely one sided. We only get to see into one of the characters minds, which doesn’t necessarily have to be a bad thing, but for this Series it took away a lot of potential I think. The whole story basically goes according to the one characters plans/wishes and thoughts. It kind of felt like the other character was more of a side character, that apart from being the main characters love interest didn’t really play any role at all, like his life just paused whenever he was not on screen.

To me this Series, by the feeling of it, the storyline, the characters/actors had a lot of potential to be one of my favourites. However it’s one sidedness in the portrayal of the characters sadly took away that potential.

I still liked it and don’t regret watching it at all, the music was great and fit the mood quite nicely most of the time.

Since it’s quite short definitely give it a go if you’re thinking about watching it. I would not say it’s a must watch though.

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