"A society that can't forgive someone's failures for a whole life OR a society that supports people who are doing their best at the moment. I wonder which one we want to show to our children." ¬

It`s been a while since I`ve dedicated my time to watching a Japanese drama, let alone a drama dealing with such a taboo topic. It`s no secret that I tend to prefer and gravitate towards shows and movies with subject matters that make me think and maybe even revaluate some of my grounded stances. Be it moral or ethical ones. This drama, however, made me question both. And I`m still not sure where I stand with it. I realized that, unlike Korean dramas, where the main problems usually lie in the dependency on clichés and tropes, or in the absence of chemistry between characters, with Japanese dramas, the problem more often than not lies in the actual format itself and how limiting it actually is.

For such an overzealous project such as "Chugakusei Nikki", the Japanese format of creating dramas(pushing them into a pattern of 10 or 11 episodes), doesn`t lend itself to productive outcome. To be very blunt, this drama would`ve benefitted more from either:becoming a 100 minute picture OR having additional 4 or 5 episodes. As it stands, there are some things I liked about it, and some that were downright confusing to watch. So let`s talk about it.

In my reviews, I`m always readily opting to list off positives I`ve noticed while watching a particular drama. Not only is this my way of respecting hard work put into the show itself, but also because I don`t want to deter any potential watchers if they`re set on giving this drama, for example, a portion of their time. When it comes to pros, the acting from pretty much everyone involved was good, and at parts even great. Namely the male lead and the female lead are obviously talented and embody their roles quite well. There is some overacting, as is the case with most Japanese dramas(Akira`s mother), however it is not noticeable enough to ruin my watching experience. Some of the sequences are creative and engaging to watch and are also in tune with characters` emotions and thoughts, which, as a cinematic snob, I appreciated very much. Their chemistry is very much undeniable, as well, but that chemistry, unfortunately, doesn`t come from the story itself, but from the ambition and talent of the cast. The OST has some gems too, which is unsurprising, coming from Japanese dramas, they really do throw in some amazing songs in all of their shows, and this one is no exception to that rule. I downloaded at least two or three songs on my phone. Two or three times, writing parallels are drawn between past and present that worked for me and made me realize that the writing team also has talent to pull off some impressing scenes. I am a fan of how they tried to also showcase consequences of this relationship in the form of Hijiri barely finding a job and constantly being afraid of her secret being found out by the teachers and parents. And now for the biggest crux of this show.

THE STORY AND THE WAY ITS CHARACTERS ARE WRITTEN.

This is what I mean when I say that this story should`ve been either thought out more or left as a movie. Because what we end up with is a heart-wrenching plot in theory, without proper backing in terms of character development. And with dramas like this, you need fleshed out relationships and characters, otherwise you`re piling on grief without earning the interest beforehand. As I kept on watching this show, one thought became clearer and clearer:Why is Hijiri ready to go through with this forbidden connection?Nothing Akira is offering is precious enough, nor is it something she can`t find with someone else who`s not a minor. Here we come to the main issue this one, and many other Jdramas have:relationships and experiences come across as shallow because the team isn`t given enough time to deepen them. This is quite literally, the case of `biting off more than you can chew`. Even still, if they weren`t so intently focused on stretching this story out over long periods of time only, but instead concentrated on weaving their love out like a well-made sweater, using experiences and situations as balls of yarn, maybe I, as a watcher, would`ve had an easier time of believing Akira when he prostrated himself in front of his mother in desperation. Or when Hijiri decided to give up on the profession of her life. Maybe I would`ve been able to swallow this icky feeling of unrest whenever I thought of the fact that these two were impulsive, thoughtless people. Their actions(moreso Akira`s) are extremely selfish. That would be fine, as I have no issues rooting for such people IF they`ve also got redeeming qualities. Even the secondary couple, Kawai and Higurashi(who is my favorite character here, despite the fact that even she`s questionable due to some of her stances), have some good parts to them. Like how Geum Ja from "Hyena" is immoral and brash, but also ambitious and intelligent. Or how Kairi Tendo from "Love Lasts Forever" is cold and stoic, but also wise and helpful. But Akira and Hijiri DON`T have these qualities, nor duality to their characters. Akira is impetuous, with no regard for others around him. Even though three years pass, he learns nothing from what happened and the second he finds out about Hijiri`s whereabouts, he rushes there, with no consideration for her nor her job. Not only do these things make their romance even more unbelievable, but it also makes their relationship seem as a product born from Hijiri being cornered by her upcoming married life and responsibilities. And they treat this as if it`s other forces only meddling with their relationship and that others are only and strictly at fault. On the other hand, Hijiri straight up has no say over her life and it seems like she prefers it that way. She self-sabotages ,has no compassion for her friend who found her a job and a place to live, but is ready to shoulder the blame and try to come off as the ultimate sinner. It`s frustrating because, even though they have to face hurdles, Akira and Hijiri don`t talk about their next steps. Instead, they dramatically wail and ponder over their misery separately, at a time when they should be united the most. Thus, while one part of their suffering should and can be put on their circumstances, it`s also on them, for aggravating their situation further in an unneeded way.

A good juxtaposition for this drama would be its much sweeter, yet more substantial counterpart:"A Story to Read When You First Fall in Love", another Jdrama dealing with a potential relationship between a teacher and a student. Only this time, not only is the male student leaps and bounds more emotionally equipped and intelligent that Akira, but the female teacher is far too innocent and adorably clueless to his emotions. This time, they go through A LOT before she even starts falling in love with him. This credibility then, is kept in watcher`s mind when things unsurprisingly go awry. That`s the key difference. YOU need to give US a reason to care. And that is not achieved through dramatic separations only. Now, I haven`t read the manga this drama is based on, as it is still ongoing, so when it comes to that, I can`t warrant to the quality of it as an adaptation.

Finally, while this drama is definitely atmospheric and at times interesting in its presentation, it`s also far from being such a high-rated Jdrama. I would not recommend it unless it really piques your interest, like it did mine.