Dear Keiko-chan,

Hope my letter finds you even better than I left you. The journey I spend with you here was most certainly a special one, the one I'll cherish for a long time. I couldn't say goodbye just yet so I decided to write this to you and talk a bit more.

Now where to begin. Surely, a father and his two children coming to a rural place to live in the middle of nowhere would definitely not sound so pleasing to everyone. On top of that when there is a 40 year (not everyone is a fan of age-gaps,okay) difference between us.
I myself wasn't really fond of everyone in the beginning. Just like Jun, even I had a hard time adjusting to the surroundings in the remote Rokugo. Everything felt so boring and mundane. There was nothing happening and all I could do was complain. But soon things changed and everything grew on me. I found a place for me there. The shack started feeling like a home. I wanted to study together with everyone in Ms. Ryoko's class. How I wished I could have fed the fox with Hotaru and have Yukiko beside me to comfort me whenever I was feeling down. And all the little adventures we had here. Like the construction of the pipes and wind-mill, and the time we saw a UFO in the mountains. And not to forget the boat race where everyone had so much fun and Sota was gloomy because he had no partner. Never knew that living in snowy places was such a struggle and is not the way it is generally romanticised.

Talking about all the people here, I think I found a family. They are not the most perfect people and come with a load of flaws and problems. Everyone complains so much and even create many problems at times. But I believe that's what made them special. Because they were like real people, they felt so close and their lives, struggles and happiness felt like my own. Also I think little Jun gets unnecessary hate. I mean he does behave like a brat at times but he was the most relatable person there. Not everyone likes the idea of leaving a life in Tokyo only to settle in a tattered shack with no electricity and water and only bears and foxes as neighbors. And the way he was done with everyone up there in Furano was a mood. But just like the seasons, he too changed and became a more responsible son and a dependable big brother. Though there were not many people up there, but everyone I met will live with me for a long time.

It's already been 3 days since I came back from my trip to Furano but I already feel like going back there and meeting everyone once again. The trip was a bit long but I took my sweet time with everything without rushing and the results left me more than satisfied. Somethings are better enjoyed slowly.
I think it's time for me to end this letter. I am sure I will revisit this place often whenever things become a bit rough and I need a reminder to take it easy. It's good to know that I have something to take me through a trip of heavy nostalgia, back to the simple times where the most mundane things are the ones which give me all the comfort I need.

Goodbye Keiko-chan and until next time.

Leggi di Più

Japanese salarymen as a modern time hero

Though I completely understand why this show is so popular and extremely well recieved by so many people. We all know the plight and sufferings of the average 'japenese salarymen' so this drama was like a fantasy for those salarymen and thus it became such a phenomena in Japan and is the highest rated show there. No doubt it was interesting but honestly I had my problems with it.

My main concern was with the storyline actually. The show started really good. I really liked the first 2 EPs and was sure it would be continue to be this way. But jokes on me and my thoughts came true in a very literal way and I was not impressed at all. It felt like the same thing repeated itself in every 2-3 EPs and it just the circumstances changed each time. Hanzawa finds himself in a pinch due to his corrupt and good-for-nothing superiors and it just when it seems like it's the end for him, somehow he or the people around him resolve the problems. And this continues till the end and nothing new happens.

Apart from this, I really liked the characters and the acting here. I knew some people criticized this for the 'over-acting' so I was ready for some cringe but when I started this, I was honestly surprised because not only I didn't mind it, but I also liked the way everyone portrayed their characters. Each actor did justice to what they had to play.
The characters, though not really new or interesting, were a delight to see and made the show watchable for me despite the repetitive story. Tomari and Hana were probably the ones I liked the most.

It may not have been what I had expected and did disappoint me a little, but I did enjoy it and I'd still recommend this drama to people who like those hero-villain type of stories where we have our hero who is the best person on this earth and is surrounded by equally good family and friends and our designated villains who we all know will stand no chance against our *though i am just a normal person but somehow I am really lucky and things work out for me anyway* protagonist.

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I recognize your skills but not your views.

This line said by Dr. Satomi to Dr. Zaizen perfectly sums the relationship between the two protagonists of The Great White Tower and (imo) make the show the masterpiece it is considered to be.
While Shiroi Kyoto or The Great White Tower is often applauded for its portrayal of human desire/greed, ambitions, morals, ethics and ideals, it is the relation between the two polar opposites protagonists which makes this drama worth watching in my eyes.
It is tough to explain the what's between Zaizen and Satomi to anyone who has not watched the drama. It is not friendship or any sort of companionship. It is a sort of camaraderie between two people who respect each other and their talent even if their ideals and morals clash. Throughout the show, both are always in conflict with each other but still you can feel how much they actually value the presence of the other in their lives and watching them together was the best.

Talking about the writing, believe me when I say that it was perfect. Often shows like these can turn into cliche with an overly ambitious lead who only cares about power coupled with another lead who is the most morally upright individual who desires nothing but only the greater good. But as brilliant the plot is, this was not the case here. I never felt that I had to choose a side or assign the role of villains to any character. Everything was so thought provoking that you can't help but root for the characters and at the same time question their actions and decisions. The intricacy of the plot leaves so much on your own interpretation and values, which I honestly think is something not easily achieved by dramas.
Another instance of the brilliant writing is the suspense throughout the show. In both the arcs I sat with bated breath as to see what the outcome will be. Judging by the common drama formula, of course I predicted some obvious events but the whole process to reach the goals was very much engaging and interesting and kept my attention the whole time.
Both the internal power struggle and the external court case complimented each other really well and along with the equally well written characters make The Great White Tower actually great.

Now the drama is actually a 10/10 in my heart. But the 9.5 here is because of two issues I had. Firstly as I said above, I never considered Zaizen a character with negative traits. Ambitious he was but he still was a skillful doctor who wanted recognition in medical field both for himself and his patients. I actually wanted him to reach the top. So the course of events leading to the lawsuit seemed too much to me. It was almost like he didn't cared about the mistake on his part and it's future consequences on everyone around him. I get the issues which led Zaizen to behave that way but to me it felt a bit out of his character or maybe I read him the wrong way.
Second thing is Professor Azuma's dislike towards Zaizen. Honestly I never understood why he was so much against him apart from the whole 'Zaizen is not idealistic and only has skills thus he can't go far' issue and that he outshined him despite being his student. I know that it is realistic and this happens but since it formed the basis of the whole drama, I just can't seem to get it out of my mind and would have loved it if Professor Azuma's character was explained a bit more.

Apart from all this, a perfect show with great writing and amazing acting which was a delight to watch. The OST seemed a bit strange at first but I appreciated it more as the show progressed. Especially that little opening sequence with the white tower and the bgm always hyped me up and put me right into the mood.
I'll definitely rewatch it sometime in the future and hopefully I'll appreciate it the same or even more.

Leggi di Più

First of all, since many people compare it to Hanzawa Naoki I'd give my 2 cents too. Yes, coming from the same author there are many similarities. Especially the business part felt the extension of Hanzawa Naoki with different companies and people. Moreover there was the same narration and a few familiar faces.

But what made this one different and (imo) better was the addition of the baseball team and Chairman Aoshima's character. It honestly gave the series much more heart and emotions. Seeing the baseball team grow together and supporting each other throughout did made me a bit emotional at times. I think it did a good job in signifying the impact and importance sports have and how watching and supporting them is as necessary as playing them. Definitely as President Kido mentions in the last episode, it was kinda cheesy at times but yes in the end I liked it all.

My problem lies with the business part of the show. I am not saying it was bad but it could have been much better. Bringing Hanzawa Naoki again here, I found the same issue with both the series and that is they are too black and white. Like you have the protagonist who will somehow win the day and the corrupt antagonist who is kinda boring with his vague ambitions and underhand tricks.
And I'll repeat myself. It's not that these are bad things. They are fine and at some point I enjoyed them a lot. It's just that at this point I am not too fond of them and prefer greyer and complex plots. But yeah atleast there was some character development involved here and there so that was a plus point.
I took a little liking to all the characters. President Hosokawa and Director Sasai were an interesting duo. Chairman Aoshima with his beliefs and morals was my favourite and the enthusiastic baseball team and all around it made me root hard for them.

Overall a really good and well-made combination of business and sports genre with both in perfect balance.

Leggi di Più

Just my personal opinion.

There is a saying in Saudi Arabia, "Sequels are not always good. Just because you liked a thing for the first time, does not guarantee that you will like it for the second time too."

Having really liked the first season of Legal High, I was kinda happy to see that there is a second season waiting for me. I mean I enjoyed the banters of eccentric Komikado, asadora heroine Mayuzumi and Miki firm trio along with the lovely Hattori-san and Ranmaru so much that despite belonging to the anti-sequel cult, I decided to watch jump upon the chance and continue the fun ride. Yes, it was a bad decision.

I mainly had 2 problems. First was the repeated stupidity for the sake of Komikado's winning streak. Now I know that it is exactly what makes this show and it's ultimate charm but honestly what was interesting and fun in the first season became kinda dull and boring in the second season. The way logic was completely thrown away in some of the cases was just painful to watch and endure. You already know that everything is a set-up by Komikado and everyone else is just plain stupid. And let me tell you being in the same field yourself doesn't helps at all.

The second and the main reason was Mayuzumi's character. It felt like she got all the negative traits of Komikado and Hanyu while being her annoying self. In the first season, Mayuzumi was this self righteous and justice oriented character who, although a bit cliché, formed an interesting duo with the contrasting Komikado. This made their banters really fun and their dynamics were just perfect. But in the next season she felt really different to me. She still had the self righteous traits in her but all the while she was becoming more and more like Komikado. So she did all types things while being her preachy and annoying self. It's like she had completely lost her goal and was just a tool to highlight Komikado's shenengians. Moreover, Komikado became a complete womaniser and honestly some scenes were really cringe.

Let me mention though, there were things I also liked. Unpopular opinion, but I enjoyed Hanyu's character. He was a nice addition and his vague and far-fetched morals formed an interesting combination with moral less Komikado. His ideals were both good and dangerous (as highlighted in the 5 th ep and the Ando Kiwa case) and brought about how ambiguous goals can lead to bad outcomes and no one should be responsible for deciding one's happiness.
I also really liked the cases in ep.3 and ep8. They were a perfect example of human hypocrisy and greed and how one should be accountable for their own desires. Moreover, Judge Beppu, although really random, was an intriguing character and her interactions with the rest of the characters were fun.

It is not that I hated the show. I still enjoyed it and I will still recommend it to the fans of first season. But it's just that somethings are enjoyable only to a certain limit and more than that can be a bad experience for some people.

Leggi di Più

This is the shows for the girls and maybe more for the boys.

As the synopsis says, it is a story of women (and a man) who are labelled as 'write-offs' and the restaurant they established to find their purpose and overcome their difficulties. Usually the problem I face with such positive and uplifting dramas is that they often come out as pretentious to me. This is not to say that I don't like them or enjoy them. I certainly do, but the thing is all along somewhere I keep thinking that how unrealistic and overly-optimistic it all is. But thankfully, this isn't the way I felt here. The show does presents a really positive and optimistic but the way it is combined with the struggles and problems of the characters along with the prevailing issue of work abuse, sexual harassment and power harassment is amazing.
To me at least it felt somewhat realistic. The characters all have some problems but they are still happy people who have some dreams to fulfill and live their life according to their rules. It's almost like they know our lives are shitty and nothing is going well but still we have to live and survive. So why not live to the fullest while doing the things we want instead of losing all kinds of hope. And it resonates well with what Karasumori says to Tamako, "You can't take revenge just by being angry. You can also take revenge by living happily and cleanly." So this is what everyone tries to do here and we get this lovely and heart-warming show.

Sexual Harassment and abuse of even the most seemingly harmless types can do more damage than one can imagine. Tamako's imagined scenario in the last episode really moved me and maybe it is a message for all the men and even women out there that how a little consideration and kindness towards the others affect us all and create a different environment.

I find drama watching the best when I get so absorbed within it that everything affects me personally. It feels so beautiful when I care so much about these fictional people that even the most little happiness they achieve fills my heart with joy and their sadness makes my eyes teary. Mondai no Aru Restaurant was just this type of show for me and I am glad that I gave it a chance. I loved the characters, the dialogues and overall everything about it.

Leggi di Più

Don't you just love it when you randomly pick up a drama (either because of the story or in my case, for the talented actors and crew behind it) but don't have a lot of hopes but somehow it ends up as one of the most entertaining and unique experience. This was exactly the relationship between me and Jikou Keisatsu. This drama is the perfect dose of comedy and crime-mystery. It sucked me in right from the beginning and it only got better after each episode.

The story is exactly what is mentioned in the synopsis and each episode we get a new unsolved case, which is then solved by our protagonist Kiriyama and his colleague Mikazuki(who by the way has a crush on him). To be honest, the cases weren't really exceptional or unique. But what made this drama worth watching is it's characters and their natural comedy.
Japanese comedy can either be a bit or miss for me. But here it was a total hit and won my heart. I always love eccentric leads and characters and here I got a whole bunch of them. All their conversation, actions, habits are so absurd and nonsense that you can't help but laugh.
Kiriyama was definitely the star here. His unique hobby, his unconditional attitude towards things, the way he treated Mikazuki, and the best- his 'I won't tell anyone card' make him a really likeable male lead.
Moving to Mikazuki, it often happens that Infront of an eccentric ml, the fl is often toned down a bit. But not here. She is as extra as she can get. From holding Kiriyama's glasses to assisting all his weird investigations and even pining all her hopes on a marriage certificate, she is the charm of the show.
Even the side characters, including all the police officers and the people related to the cold cases, were all really diverse and fun.

For the cases, though I mentioned that they were not really special or exceptional, nonetheless they were really important for the drama. You can usually guess the suspect before the second half. But the issue here was not that who is the suspect, but rather what exactly made the suspect commit the crime and hide it. With each case you can see the difference in the attitudes of the criminals. Some are giult- ridden, some don't care while some have more important things to protect. But in the end it didn't matter because all cases are closed and Kiriyama won't tell anyone XDDD.

I took my time with this show because I wanted to remain around this bunch for a longer time. Believe me when I say that I had never been so happy before if a drama has 2 more seasons.
Overall it was just amazing, creative, hilarious and really fun so just go and watch it.

Leggi di Più

I go to the battlefield not to die, but to live. The life of the family. The life of the country.

Battle of Changsha is a drama which follows the Second Sino- Japanese War, seen through the eyes of the Hu family. Considering that it was a war themed drama, I had my limited expectations from it. But this show surprised me, and in a really good way. When I started this, I was honestly ready for a grim and melancholic atmosphere considering the times. But the moment it starts and we are introduced to the characters, I knew I was in for a ride.

Talking about the story first, it's brilliantly written. The writer is seriously a genius for including comedy in the plot which made the show much more interesting to watch and also the way the romance was handled. Considering that the show had a really heavy theme, the humour ensured that the viewers were not bored and actually made the story more devastating when the seriousness kicks in the later episodes. The Romance- I just loved it. I might be a bit biased because I love the hate-to-love trope, but it was so perfectly handled that I had no complaints at all. It was portrayed in such a subtle way that it does not feels out of the place and follows a really natural course. I was honestly anticipating it so much and was so happy and giddy to see the love finally surface. Other themes like family bonds, friendship, patriotism are also prevalent throughout and add so much depth to the plot.

I loved all the characters. They were some of the most realistic bunch of characters I have witnessed. I started with not liking any of them, including all the leads. But the character development is so solid here that by the end, there was not a single character I wanted to say goodbye to. Let's talk about everyone's favourite- Xue Junshan. He was the life and soul of the show. He first gives off really bad vibes due to his bossy attitude towards the family and his shady business as the security officer. But as we see more of him, his real character is revealed which is of a loving husband, a doting father, a responsible son-in-law and most importantly, a good person who just wants to live a decent life with his family. Gu Qingming was my other favourite one. He starts off as a serious, no- nonsense military officer but his continuous encounters with the Hu family brings out more of him and his values and principles are appreciated. And his bromance with Junshan is definitely to look out for. Talking about character development, the ones who grew the most were definitely the twins. They are first introduced as a bunch of useless spoiled brats who only know how to make trouble and commit mischief. But the situation and the people around them help them grow and understand the heaviness and urgency of the times. Both Xiangxiang and Xiaoman mature as they witness the war, while giving us a really precious sibling relationship. Even the side characters like Xiuxiu, Grandma, Jinfeng, Xiao Di and many more are a very integral part of the story and make it more authentic.

The best part of the drama for me was that it was shown through the perspective of a family who are the common people of the society. Cause it is after all the people who are most affected by war and lose a lot in the process. It made the show much more genuine and real, without making it feel too political and heavy.

It is a story of a family living through the turbulent times of the war. The story of how the war affected them and their lives. How the war is the most evil of all and destroys everything. It is story of hope that better days will come for the country and its people. And most importantly, why family and country are the only things that remain and can never be forgotten.

Leggi di Più