-- I found this drama by the luckiest chance, with good quality in kissasian.
-- Then I became one of millions of fans of the sexiest Japanese ever, imho
-- In Pride, the kisses are real, not primary-school-pecks.
-- The pace is fast. Great editing,
-- I loved the plot, including the side stories which I rarely enjoy.
-- Since it's a sport drama, the story centers around the team, the main lead,
and also two other members as side stories. The music was by Queen , it
matched the scenes perfectly. I also loved the other background music.
-- My hook factor: non-stop watching
If you haven't experience Kimura Takuya yet (nickname kimutaku), I recommend this drama, or Long Vacation or Love Generation. I became a true fan, read all about his influence in 1990s and 2000s pop culture. I plan to watch more of his works, including Ando LLoyd, Asunaro Hakusho, and his famous Hero drama although it's not a romance.