Kahogo no Kahoko (2017)

Great drama! A beautiful drama! Unfortunately it was short.
As the title suggests, it tells the story of Nemoto Kahoko (Takahata Mitsuki) who lives an extremely protected life. So, despite being in the senior year of college and in the job hunting phase, it is the furthest thing from being independent. We  can say that she has super protective parents, especially her mother  (Kuroki Hitomi), who still wakes her up every morning ... And her father  (Tokito Saburo) is aware that his wife is being overly protective of  her only daughter, but can not have the courage to speak.
Things  begin to change when Kahoko meets this great art man, Mugino Hajime  (Takeuchi Ryoma), who naturally leads a complete opposite life to hers. Without a father and with a temporary multiple, he is astonished to  learn the extreme case of the girl being spoiled by the mother who she  is, and how unsatisfactory her future is.
Kahoko is basically a great baby. It's not childish but childish. She does not realize that she is living in a bubble all her life or dependent on her parents. As  the drama unfolds high grades one learns from it, and we will see that  Kahoko even being spoiled gets to turn around, drama is a lesson of life  and wisdom.

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In the current trend of crime, medical, or complicated dramas, this show shined because of its simplicity and sincerity. It has such a big heart (just like Kahoko), you can't help but fall in love with it.

From the moment I saw Takahata Mitsuki's transcendent performance as Kahoko, it was love at first sight. From her multitude of expressions to her voice acting to so many intangibles, I have no words. Screen-caps and gifs alone don't do her justice. She made a flawed character like Kahoko feel real and lovable.

I also now have a soft spot for Takeuchi Ryoma, he's such a natural actor, and esp. gifted in comedy. His chemistry and comedic timing with Mitsuki was spot on. Their OTP was too darn adorable. This was such a funny, heart-warming show composed of all these talented actors, who all did such a great job.

Coming of age dramas are usually about school or career, but this is about family, which resonated all the more with me, with life truths that will stay with me long after the show is done. Some may have found Kahoko's childlike innocence and naivety off-putting. But that continuous hunger to persevere, grow and learn, and not lose that endless optimism and positivity for life is the perfect armor in this current world full of troubles. I'll always remember Kahoko fondly for being the beacon of happiness when I needed it the most.

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I wanted to start this New Year with a good drama that would pump me up and kick-start 2018. I picked Kahogo No Kahoko because, once again, my Insta friend strongly recommended it. When she strongly recommends a drama I am sure that it will be something really good. And as expected, this drama was amazing. Kahogo No Kahoko is about a young girl who is overprotected by her parents and hardly has any experience interacting with the outside world. This drama is well-written with some beautifully sketched characters. I enjoyed this drama a lot and here is what I liked and disliked about it.



Good Weights
I enjoyed watching Kahogo No Kahoko because…
…Kahoko is a very adorable lead. She (like most drama heroines) is naïve beyond imagination. She has been living in a bubble all her life and has no idea of how the outside world functions. She has no friends and relies on the internet to solve her queries like ‘how to console someone’, ‘how to impress a guy’ and even ‘how to get over heartbreak’. She loves her family and will do anything to see them happy. She makes faces that amuse and confuse people. She sleeps like a baby, anywhere and anytime after she has had her fill.
…actress Takahata Mitsuki portrayal of Kahoko was mind-blowing. I was amazed at how well she got into the skin of the character and adopted a body language of a slightly nervous, mostly clueless and a totally naïve young girl. Her hands flailed like a little child each time sprinted. Her shoulder slouched each time she felt cornered or intimidated. Her face had a new expression each time she experienced an emotion for the first time. Bow down to this amazing actress.

…Japanese doramas do not need a kiss to create romance between its characters. Most Asian dramas have to have a kiss scene to show love between the main leads, but Kahogo No Kahoko proves that love can be shown without getting intimate. I am not against kissing scenes. I, like most drama fans, wait for my favourite couple to kiss and seal the deal. But some dramas are written with such depth that you are convinced of the love without any ‘loving’ scene. Kahoko and Hajime share such a deep connection that I did not need to see them kiss or even hug to convince me of how much they feel for each other.

…this drama, like a lot other Japanese dramas, promotes family love. I am very close to my family and I know the importance of inculcating family values in children. Kahoko too is close to her parents and her extended family. Like every other family, hers too is not perfect and she sees her uncles and aunts quarreling amongst themselves. But she accepts them as they are and struggles to keep them together. This is also a beauty of Japanese dramas. JDramas often promote family values. They do not shove it down your throat forcing you to accept their idea of family love but they very subtly explain the importance of being loving towards the people who matter to you.

…it is a good break from fluffy romances. I always say in that Japanese dramas try to be close to reality. Character predicaments and the solutions to them may not always be practical but are often believable. If you have watched a lot of dramas you will expect to see the hero standing right behind the heroine just when she needs him. But that does not happen in JDramas. Here the heroine, no matter how helpless she is, has to somehow find her own solution and if not then has to make her way to the hero on her own to have his help. Kahoko has been dependent on her mother all her life. When she decides to break free from it, she does not fall dependent on Hajime but finds her way on her own, with some guidance from him. This is why I love Kahoko so much.
 


Bad Weights
I did NOT LIKE Kahogo No Kahoko because…
…I did not like the fact that Kahoko never looked for a job herself. The drama starts with her getting rejected for jobs but she is determined to find one for herself. A few tries later she completely forgets about finding a job and gets busy helping to solve her family problems. Things do fall into place for her eventually but her determination dimmed too quickly for my liking. I understand she was not meant to be a regular office goer but still, it would have been better had she at least tried working somewhere.

…I did not like the end to Kahoko and Hajime’s love story. [[Spoiler Alert: Kahoko and Hajime eventually get married to each other by the end of the drama. Hajime is a struggling artist and Kahoko has no means to support herself. Such young kids decide to get married just because Kahoko’s grandma wanted to see them together. I appreciate the fact that the writers did not make Hajime rich overnight to have them married, the way most dramas show. Hajime remains a poor artist but how can they just get married? It may seem fancy in a drama but in real life it sucks. I did not like how they concluded Kahoko’s love story but I enjoyed the drama overall.]]
 
I give Kahogo No Kahoko 4 out of 5 rating. A gladsome girl, an earnest love affair, a loving close-knit family make this drama a good watch. Do give it a try. You may find Kahoko annoying at first but do not give up on her, trust me you will gradually warm up to her.

Originally posted on AlphaGirl.in.

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I've struggled when it comes to Japanese dramas. I have frequently found myself starting a Jdrama and quickly noping out because it's not anything like what I wanted/expected. First and foremost, I don't trust any Jdrama genre tags. Just because it says romance or rom-com (totally unrelated example; not the bane of my Jdrama existence or anything) doesn't mean there will be the kind of romance or romantic comedy you're looking for. Second, there appears to be a much wider variety of subject matter when it comes to Jdramas compared to Kdramas (my personal drama country go to), which makes it that much harder to find that specific type of drama you're looking for. Third, it kind of feels like Jdrama production teams are just experimenting by throwing things at the wall and seeing what works and then sometimes not even really caring if it doesn't work. And fourth, everything about Jdrama production is just Different. Different acting styles, different camerawork, different forms of story-telling, etc. etc. etc. I've had to come to the conclusion in recent months that in order to find, watch, and enjoy Jdramas, I have to leave All my expectations at the door, because they most likely won't be met except in the exact moments when I'm not looking.

I tell you all of this to say that when I find a Jdrama that works for me, it's kind of a big deal. And this Jdrama worked for me. Very, very, deeply worked for me.

There's honestly not a single thing about this drama I could complain about. We're presented with an unusual, but still very real and relatable and easy to connect with family who may fuss and fight but will always love each other at the end of the day; multiple life situations grounded in reality and tackled by our characters in satisfying ways; and a female lead who may be spoiled, but who is easily one of the kindest, most determined, easiest to root for female leads in all of Asian drama history. Kahoko is just likable, and you want to see her succeed.

I highly recommend this drama to anyone who watches Asian dramas.

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This is brilliant and a well executed coming of age drama about a 21 year old girl named Kahoko who after meeting a young man around the same age as her except with a completely opposite life starts to discover what the that the real world is like. She further discovers her inner strength, capabilities and her true dream in life. Together, they support and heal each other.

I am giving this drama an 8.5 rating partly because of a few things, I wasn't too fond of:

- Romance between the lead - The romance between the two leads wasn't bad, however it could have been done better. To me, it seemed more like friendship than love.

- Family Problems and Leaving - Okay, so I don't know how to word this better but basically, the whole concept of a problem arising and the affected family member leaving the house wasn't particularly my favourite. Partly because it became repetitive, it started off with the dad then the mom, next the grandparents and then the relatives. It all just started becoming a little boring.

- OST - This isn't a major flaw but I just wished this drama had a better and a more fitting ost (but then again, this is my first Jdrama so I don't know if OST's are considered important in Jdramas or not).

- Marriage - The main leads rushing into marriage wasn't quite realistic given that Kahoko didn't really have a proper job nor did Hajime. Plus, they were both quite young, still learning their ways and had just started dating. So it all just seemed a little silly and impractical.

Overall, this drama is quite entertaining and full of emotions. The entire cast did an amazing job especially the female lead. Hats off to her as no one could have possibly played the role of Kahoko as excellently as Matsuki Takahata did.

I would strongly recommend this drama to everyone. Do give it a try and I'm sure you'll like it.

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every episode made me cry

this was the first jdrama i actually finished and i guess you can't pick a better one as your first jdrama...it's very short and every character is so lovable. due to the length though i guess it goes without saying that some of the conflicts introduced sometimes get resolved too neatly. the most rewarding part of this show truly is watching kahoko grow.
i have mixed feelings about kahoko's strength and how it's depicted in the show. it does feel fairly conservative i think, that kahoko's kindness and gentleness would be framed as strengths to serve the people who love her, rather than personal strengths of her own if that makes sense, but it IS a family drama after all so i guess i shouldn't ask for so much. i guess that's why there is hajime, to show her inner worth as a kind and honest person, but not only to serve others.

i personally feel like this show was strongest when it was about kahoko and izumi. of course kahoko and hajime's relationship was very important too but i think the complexity of emotions and love between kahoko and her mother was something i rarely ever see depicted with as much understanding as this show did. i think izumi appears unreasonable (and kind of phony sometimes lol) but her love for kahoko and the reasons behind her actions was so deeply resonant with me at least. i think it goes without saying too kahoko's actress does an amazing job of selling the character too...she absolutely stole the show. there's a lot worth checking out here i think, and it's not at all a bad show to put on to pass the time or to just check out as an introduction to jdramas.

also sometimes with jdramas i've started before (but never finished) was that the cinematography was soooo lacking LOL. but here i think the show was shot in a genuinely beautiful way, and i did want to continue watching for that reason too.

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Иногда смотреть японские семейники это как читать брошюру о правильном воспитании, преодолении трудностей и "семья - это главное". Но почему то это у них это всегда получается :-( Как так - ума не приложу, в пору прям мастер-класс давать. Вот и здесь история чрезмерно опекаемой девушки смотрится не просто как история пользы самостоятельности, а еще и о том, что можно достичь этого и не теряя и не ломая себя. В каждом человеке есть стержень, вот только нужен он ...когда нужен. и понять этот момент и воспользоваться им зачастую так же важно, как постоянно на него опираться. Ведь человек живет по разному. Да, самостоятельность и самодостаточность Хаджиме поначалу кажется более ценной, чем парниковая жизнь Кахоко. Но разве в этом есть ее вина или его заслуга. Просто так сложилась жизнь и сравнивать без всяких оговорок - это дело неблагодарное. Да, парнишке не повезло вырасти сиротой, Кахоко, наверное, повезло вырасти под такой опекой, огороженной от всяких проблем. Однако когда дело дошло до дела только поступки показывают чего ты стоишь. В принципе, это доказывать и не надо, это всем известная истина. Главное в этой дораме вечное - хорошо, когда у тебя есть семья, хорошо когда эта семья, имея проблемы, остается семьей. В этом наверное, и есть прелесть этого сериала.

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[WARNING: the rating and review I give have the possibility to be subjective due to my preference for the genres, scenes or casts]

I watched this dorama because of the recommendation of my friend. This dorama is so funny, annoying, heartwarming and sad at the same time.

I'm really upset with Mama's action and Papa's cowardness. I don't like how they pampered Kahoko. But thanks God, Hajime come and being the prince hahaha. The negative point for me is the lack of Hajime's depth feeling. I don't know, but for me Hajime's feeling grow too fast.

After all, this is a good dorama worth to watch.

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What a tragedy that the 50th J dorama I completed was one of the worst of the 300+ Asian Dramas I've finished. I gave this Drama 2 stars for the only two likeable characters, the two leads. Their growth was the reason I got though it, with MASSIVE amounts of fast-forwarding. That and Takahata Mitsuki's very convincing portrayal of an unusual character were there only reasons I stuck it out to the end, rushing through to check out the SP.

This Drama also distinguished itself by having one of the most loathsome, vile, criminally insane characters I've ever had ot choke back a vomit reflex watching - Kahoko's indescribably appalling MOTHER. The woman was utterly and irredeemably horrid, and stark raving mad. All I can do is hope that the trauma of watching this ghastly trash will fade soon, while I look for more of the indubitably talented Ms Takahat's work.

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This is a great drama... I did not see any boring episodes... nice balancing of comedy and drama... though it was mainly focused on family but it really catches me.. you see im a type of girl who like kissing scene but this one you dont need kissing scene because the sincerity of each character is there.. At the start I thought that kahoko is autistic.. hehehe.. eventually as the episodes progressed she became human adult girl with the help of the supercute boy (I forgot the name)...
Anyway the comedy is not corny and the drama my gosh I really cried.. especially when it comes to family's hardships.. this family oriented series really reminds me of what my parents and aunties had done to me. I also experienced an overprotective parents and aunties in my part. They sheltered me everything especially my aunt. I didnt know how to cook not unless I went overseas.. thats the beginning of my independent. Now I am married I just hope that I will be a balance mother to my future babies...
Family ties ...comdey ..romance... so balance... how I wish there is season 2 on this... so far this is a wonderful drama I ever seen in japanese drama..

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This series surrounds a girl, who at the beginning of the show, can hardly make any of her own decisions. Needing help even to know what clothes to wear. And you see her turn into a fully functioning adult which is a fun transformation to watch.

The leads in this series are great together. They play off each other well and have good chemistry. It's fun to watch them face different events with entirely different responses to the same situations. The supporting cast also does a great job. I especially enjoyed the Grandma. She was awesome.

I recommend this series to anyone wanting to watch something sweet and uplifting without a ton of emotional turmoil. I enjoyed it.

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