Minami-kun no Koibito: My Little Lover (2015)

I would not have found this drama if it were not for Viki, and thank God for that! How is there no reviews on this yet!?

This drama was a treat, I went in knowing nothing about it and I ended up loving it. Short and sweet, this is worth the watch for any cutesy romantic fans out there such as myself. It is definitely a unique story, and has a very fairy tail type of theme to it, so it almost feels as if you're watching a Disney movie in some ways.

The reason for an 8.5 for acting is because it seemed to take a little bit for the actors to warm up, but towards they end they did a fantastic job. Minami-kun was a bit too stiff for me in the beginning, and although I'm sure that was because of his character roll, I feel like it could have been pulled off differently to where it didn't seem just like bad acting if you know what I mean.
Chiyomi did wonderful acting the whole way through, as well as the rest of the cast, I really got attached to all of the characters of the story. I would love to see her in more dramas in the future!

I dont normally rewatch dramas, but I would most certainly give this one another go, just because of it's short length, charm, and easy going story.

I most certainly recommend this drama!

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I picked up this drama, because I wanted something light and fluffy. My Little Lover isn't anything mind blowing but it is sooo enjoyable. I was surprised myself at how much i liked this drama, because I am super picky. I am going to briefly introduce the pros and cons of this show.

Advantages:
*The cast. Actors in this drama are very young and their acting skills aren't magnificent but they are more than good and the fact that the characters and actors ages mach which is rare makes it more realistic.
*Nakagawa Taishi's acting skills are pretty good but there were some moments where I just wanted to clap, because he expressed the emotions perfectly. Actors in KDramas are always like angels fallen from the sky, unrealistically beautiful, but Minami was like a cute classmate, still very handsome, but more relatable, more human. His character was realistic and just so close to heart.
*Horikiri is a character that actually has some personality. Only after watching this drama did I notice that in a lot of dramas the main female lead has no hobby, nothing she likes and it just feels like the girl exists so she could create a romantic relationship with the main female lead. Chiyomi Horikiri is a character that has actual hobbies, ambitions like a real human being.
*The supporting roles weren't left out. Sure they couldn't get a lot of screen time, because the show is short, but every character had at least one scene where they personality developed.
*Pleasantly surprised that I didn't hate the second girl who was trying to get Minami's heart, Nomura. Sure she was a little bit bitchy, but never did I hate her, actually I kind of liked her.
*In the aspect that the main character lead is shrunk down to a tiny person the story is pretty original.
*That one kissing scene that made my heart beat like crazy. You'll know what I am talking about when you watch this drama. That's why i love JDrama's, because the kissing scenes actually have some feelings of intimacy.
*It isn't supposed to be a comedy, but the situations the main characters got themselves into were just so ridiculous that I couldn't help but laugh. And be prepared for a lot of embarrassing moments. I can't even count how many times I had to pause an episode and do something else, because I just couldn't handle the embarrassment. Some might think that this is a flaw, but for me it was a plus. This drama made me feel with the characters.
*Some people thought that it was draggy. Well i didn't. I hate when dramas get dragged on for too log and that happens way to often but this drama was so short it had no time to get draggy.
*The opening song <3
*No unneccessary and stupid drama.
*It is so freaking relatable. Since my native language isn't English it is hard for me to express myself and I don't know if i am using the right words, but uhhh this show even with the fantasy element was more realistic than any KDrama i have ever watched. Maybe because I am in high school myself, but My Little Lover just hit the right spot in my heart for me.

Disadvantages:
*Some times the acting is kind of weird, but I feel like it's just the Japanese style.
*Besides the fact that our main lead is a tiny person, the story is not that original.
*Riku Takagi was kind of creepy. :D
*Sometimes it felt like the drama itself didn't know if the scene is supposed to be funny or serious, because I laughed a lot of times when serious music was playing in the background. Maybe I just have a weird sense of humour wich I dont think I do or it could be that the Japanese are the masters of sarcasm.

While writing the advantages the things that I liked came to my mind in a second, but when I had to write the disadvantages I really had to think for a minute so I want you to know that these "disadvantages" didn't really bother me while I was watching the show.

Overall:
I have no idea why I liked My Little Lover so much. Might be because I am a girl in her teens that just likes cheesy rom-coms. But you know I gave Full House (Thai), which is known for its cuteness, a 6, so I don't think that is the case. I don't really care if this show is cliche, because it is a really well done cliche. And If you are looking for something cute and fluffy look no further.

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The plot of the story is very intriguing, and started out great. I, however watched as it aired for around 5 episodes, took an extended break, and binged the last 5. In general, I thought the story dragged quite a lot in the middle episodes and picked up speed in the last two. That said, this show still gets a pretty good score from me.
Now on to the positive points, if you need just one reason to watch; it's the male lead. This guy is seriously gorgeous (which he doesn't really showcase until the last two episodes), and he's only 17! You can definitely see his character evolve from being stiff and awkward to being very natural around the girl.
As the plot implies, this drama is definitely full of CGI. It's not an amazing Hollywood film quality, but it's decently done so that it isn't a problem.
This is definitely worth a watch if you're looking for something light and fluffy.

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I decided to watch Minami-kun no Koibito on a whim, and while I'm glad I did, I can't help but feel a bit disappointed. It has its good points, definitely, such as the story and the charm, but things like the acting and the emotional connection were a bit bothersome.

Let's talk about the positives first. Of course, the story's perfect for anyone who's looking to watch something cute and light. Keep in mind that you should still expect a lot of major plot holes going into this one. It's probably best to go on with zero expectations about the fantasy aspect, as nothing is explained. That being said, this is still a breath of fresh air compared to the other typical J-drama we're used to.

Minami-kun no Koibito's really funny. I found myself laughing out loud at some of the jokes. Each character had his or her own sense of humor, and you'll find yourself loving all of them.

While I did like the characters, I wasn't very fond of the acting. See, since there's obvious CGI here (given the fact that the heroine's the size of one's hand), we know that the actors aren't physically together when they were shooting the scenes. The sad part is how apparent this is, since there seems to be zero chemistry between the main character and everyone else. Although it's obvious that Yamamoto Maika's gorgeous and fits the part physically, I found her acting to be quite lacking. The rest of the cast were just okay. In fact, in terms of acting, I'd give the biggest props to the children who played young Chiyomi and young Minami. They were the cutest!

Because of this, I couldn't really connect with the show until the last two episodes or so. Those are the only episodes I'd actually rewatch.

Overall, if you're okay with stories that don't have a lot of depth and are just looking for a cutesy romance with good humor, definitely still give this show a shot.

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Good beginning and good end

I enjoyed this show, I just wish it didn't feel like it dragged so much in the middle. I also kept wondering why they weren't trying to figure out how to get her back to normal.

I'll be honest, the big draw for this show was Taishi Nakagawa. As expected, I thought he was really good in this. I really felt for him, closing off his emotions to protect himself, and really trying to live a life that he wouldn't have chosen for himself. I really appreciate that he tends to keep his acting understated, when a lot of Japanese actors can tend to overact. For anyone that has not seen him in Today's Kira Kun, you should really check it out.

I got extremely irritated with her constantly calling his name, but other than that the female lead's character was good, trying to make the best of a bad situation. The interactions between the two were enjoyable, especially once he figured out that he liked her.

I loved the ending. I always appreciate when we get some time at the end of the show to wrap things up adequately, and not rush things.

Cute, sweet, low angst.

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The only reason I watched this show was that it had only 10 episodes and I could finish it in one day. Did I mention that the show has an uber-cute male protagonist who also was a reason for watching this show? What? I didn’t need to because you guessed it anyway :O Gah!
I picked this show very randomly without even reading its synopsis. I went for it with zero expectations. And I am glad (and lucky) that I enjoyed the show despite its high level of predictability. The show is short so there isn’t much to analyze. But is it worth even a short while? Well, read on to know that.

Let’s weigh My Little Lover on our beam balance and see if it is worthwhile or no.

Good Weights
Simple Story: The story is simple with no twists or turns. Its medium paced and does not attempt to push the envelope in any way which may be because it must have stuck true to the original manga.

Commendable Chemistry: Building chemistry between a boy who is 1.78 m tall and a girl who is only 15 cms is a difficult task but surprisingly the two leads look good together. And what’s commendable about their chemistry is that they must have obviously shot scenes separately and still managed to convince me of their love for each other, which is what really worked for the show.


Bad Weights
Frequent Shrieking: The one thing that really got on my nerves was the little girl shrieking Minami’s name every now and then. I know she is now a Thumbelina and has to scream on top of her voice to grab his attention but it was really annoying.  

Acting: Considering Taishi Nakagawa’s (Minami) age (he is still in his teens) his acting was not that bad. But in some scenes, it was difficult to understand what he was feeling and what he was trying to show. For example, when he is confessing his true feelings for Chiyomi (Spoiler alert? What for? Didn’t I mention that it was a predictable drama?) he has a very weird expression on his face. The scene is important because Minami makes a few revelations in that scene but somehow the scene has no effect on me.  

With an equal number of good and bad weights, My Little Lover manages to balance its self on the beam balance. To sum it up, My Little Lover is a cute teenage love story with no complications or plot twists. If you enjoy innocent, pure childlike love then go for this one. It isn’t a bad choice on a day when you have absolutely nothing to do.

Originally posted on www.alphagirl.in

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*Story*
I love the story. It's an interesting concept which I haven't really seen before. Of a girl getting smaller (in live action movies) and I always wonder how they filmed it. But well computers I guess. Anyways The story was sweet. And I overall love it. It's a Rom-Com. But it's not really cringy like some other Jdramas like this that I have seen. I did almost die fron laughing when they kissed in the hospital and then the moms and grandmother walked in on them. There is also some conflict, which I think is quite important in stories like this.
I haven't read the manga which is from the 80's, but I might read it soon.

*Acting/Cast*
The reason I gave this an 8.0 is because at first Taishi Nakagawa was a bit tense. Atleast I thought so. But towards the end of the series I feel like he definitely loosend up a lot and really fit the role. As for the actress who acted as Chiyomi. I thought she really fit the role. I've seen her in "Daytime Shooting Star" and "I'm underage but I'm not a child". But I enjoyed her role as Chiyomi the best. Overall the acting was quite good.

*Music*
I really like the Piano OST/Music in this drama. As well as the opening theme, which I think is quite a cute and creating opening. So I enjoyed the music.

*Rewatch Value*
I'd definitely rewatch this over and over.

*Overall*
I love this series so much. If you're in to Romantic Comedy than this is perfect for you.

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Cute and Sweet - a Perfect stress-reliever

“My Little Lover” is the perfect dose of sweetness and cuteness that I needed. There are many different adaptations of this drama, and this is the only one I saw. So, I am unable to compare to see which adaptation is better.

The plot is very simple. Close childhood friends grew apart for unknown reasons (to the girl). Due to some conflicts, the girl woke up and found herself to be only an inch tall. Luckily, she was discovered by the boy, otherwise she would be so lost. The rest of the story is very predictable and you can probably tell how living together means growing feelings.

I am usually not a fan of over dramatic acting, and Japanese dramas are known for them especially when it is an anime or manga adaptation. Luckily, I was not annoyed with the acting. Instead, I found the leads super adorable and likable. The drama started off on a perfect note showcasing a very, very cute version of the leads when they were young. The young actress is cute as a button and reads her lines very well. The adult leads are handsome and pretty. I gotta check out other dramas of the handsome Nakagawa Taishi. They make a good-looking pair and I was really rooting for them. On another note, I don’t find the secondary leads very attractive, so definitely no second-lead syndrome here.

The only thing that annoys me in this drama is the trespassing. No one seems to think barging into someone’s home and bedroom is a problem. Worse than that, they are snooping around and invading people’s privacy. This also makes the side plot of ML’s father a little weak for me. Even though this is a 9-year old drama, it doesn’t feel too dated to me.

I had such an enjoyable time that I binged all 10 episodes in one go. I might be a little more lenient in rating this a high 8.5 because I am in need of a cute and fluffy drama.



Completed: 7/23/2024 - Review #464

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If you a romance lover and wanting another story like Itakiss LIT, This dorama should be a good choice for you !

Actually i decided to watch this series because the director is same like Itakiss LIT.. and what i get ? Satisfaction, of course..

Firstly, I thought Minami-kun as cold as Irie.. But He is different, he is more like human being (?) I hate when Minami is soft-hearted towards Sayori.. But when i think again about it, A man should act like that toward the girl, right ?

The storyline is so cute and i love the opening theme >< i can't skip the opening video...

Because of this dorama, i have fallen to Nakagawa Taishi as well <3 <3

SPOILER : They ended up getting married ^^

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Surprisingly cute.

I already liked Taishi Nakagawa so I knew what to expect from him and he's super darling here. His character is cold at first and then warms up fast which is much more Nakagawa's speed. We get a really great sense of connection between Minami and Chiyomi which is crazy since they're not actually in scenes together unless someone was off to the side during filming.

The story is strange, but not necessarily unusual. I'm a Thumbelina fan from way back, so this fits in with that aesthetic. There is the overuse of a couple of tropes like the other girl chasing Minami (although that was pretty much played for laughs with the dramatic, sexy music and his dreams).

There are some good messages about family relationships. I like how Chiyomi helps heal a rift in her family and Minami finally lets himself start healing after his Dad's abandonment.

Overall it's just a really sweet drama. It makes me realize that more manga need to be made into dramas and not movies. The movies move too quickly for the story to be told well. Dramas usually have just about enough time.

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Awww, this was adorable! It was a cute, fun, light-hearted drama that was perfect for me, who was in a major drama watching slump. It reminded me a lot of Mischievious Kiss, but... you know... with the whole shrinking aspect.

The story... isn't all too realistic, but that's what made it fun. It was really all down to the writers on how to play around with the idea of someone shrinking to 1 inch, and I think they did a great job. Although the cinematography isn't too good, i really liked the idea of wishing to be small again... and literally doing so. Within 10 episodes, different and a variety of events happened that didn't feel rush, nor draggy, which is perfect!

I love love LOVE that the actors are actual their real ages. The two main roles are actually portrayed by high schoolers, which made it all more realistic... no offence kdramas. The supporting roles were all done well and hilarious, and i'm glad they got screen time but not too much since they're all pretty weird. Riku.. well, he was a bit creepy, but his love for Chiyomi was cute. The grandma was just wonderful, as well.

The two main themes were just beautiful and super kawaii, but i didn't care much for the insert songs.

Ahh, that was such an exciting 3 days!! I'll definitely remember this drama for a long time. So long, Minami-kun and Chiyomi-san!

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