A drama that's like a sweet dessert after an omurice meal

I've been itching to watch this because after watching some dramas where Fukada Kyoko starred in, I felt that maybe her other works will also be promising. And I wasn't wrong! This is a simple, light-hearted, and sweet drama about adulthood, love, friendship, and work.

I didn't find Shibata annoying because of her over-trustfulness. She actually reminds me of Kanzaki Nao from The Liar Game manga, because I felt the same way about her, too. Their kindness isn't the problem, it's the people who continuously took advantage of them before. But, with Shunin's character and the strong female personalities surrounding her, I'm glad to witness that they balanced out the events in the drama by playfully teasing her innocence with naivety. Another thing that I loved about this is the created friendships among the female characters. It's so refreshing to see how for once, women aren't pitted against each other because of a certain man, and they are just sharing the hardships of adulthood with alcohol and delicious foods over their tables. (Or maybe Shibata is just too kind to start an issue haha)

Overall, I like the plot very much. Just when I thought I would only watch a blossoming love story between two people, it offered me so much more than that. It made me think of what to expect of my future, and when I reach the next stage of my life, which is working. I do agree that the resolution felt rushed, but I'm still fine with that. It's our choice to check the source material if we're unsatisfied with the development of the story. So, don't hesitate to give this a chance if you want to take a break from heaviness and lighten up! :)

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The world is smaller than what we think.

As viewers, we are already given the impression that Ito is a rotten person, someone who enjoys playing with the lives of the women he interacted with. The fact that he was mentioned by four women who are having problems with their relationships doesn't actually give a good impression to me, because how horrible can he be for that to happen?! But as the stories of these four women were unveiled one by one, maybe Ito wasn't the only rotten person.

The characters were flawed in their own ways, and at the same time (to me), still very complex to simply understand. They aren't easy to like and have their own battles to attend to but unfortunately, were struggling and failing to face them. And to my own surprise, I actually think that maybe meeting Ito somehow helped them overcome their problems because I like to interpret that deep inside, they initially thought that they all have the same 'enemy' so they gathered their senses together and resolved their challenges along the way to 'defeat' him. So if I have the time (and as a Psychology student lol), re-watching and analyzing their characters in a more detailed way may be interesting.

The storytelling was also good because just like what was mentioned, this is like a puzzle that is gradually putting itself together in front of us. I also liked how the four women were given two episodes to focus on their stories so I was becoming more excited as the other characters were introduced. But to my dismay, the ending was really underwhelming. For me, the appropriate depiction of what I felt is this: it's like after meeting the characters, you have reached the peak of its interestingness so you glue your eyes closer to the television to wait for something to happen...until suddenly the screen just turned off.

I could've watched more and learn about Rio's background or see her face-off with Ito, so I'm hoping that I can count on its movie with that. The stories of these women who are interconnected with the same person made me realize that the world is indeed smaller than what we think. It's amazing how this drama also depicted that despite millions of people living at the same time, we can be connected with each other, may it be directly or indirectly.

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What should be loved? Looks or personality?

A lot of dramas, in general, have used the body-switching concept before but Switched managed to step up their game and completely own it.

Most of the dramas carrying the same concept mainly focused on the comedic aspects of swapping bodies, as it's usually fun to watch how two different characters struggle with their new lives, right? But not with Switched. Seeing how the conventionally attractive girl lost her perfect life to an unpopular and bullied classmate, is like a huge slap to our faces that this is the truth; physical appearance can be a measure of how others would treat you. However, it didn't just stop with the ugly truth as the characters tried to overcome the hurdles of reality and change themselves for the better, which is a satisfying resolution for me.

That's why I had a hard time parting with this drama because I know that I won't easily forget such an impactful story. The acting was really superb, and it's more astonishing because they're still at a young age! Makes me look forward to their future performances because I'm sure that they would be promising actors & actresses someday. The cinematography is a bit different from what we usually see in Japanese dramas as there is a high production value, but it still didn't lose its usual essence and rawness. The only thing that I am frustrated with is the number of episodes. I don't have any problem with its conciseness, but just like what I've mentioned, I don't want to be done with it yet lol. This also made me love Japanese dramas more because I realized that it's possible to effectively tell and wrap up a well-written story in just six episodes (I don't have any issues with the ending haha), so what's stopping the other series to avoid dragging their audience with their numerous episodes and never-ending seasons?

Anyway, I think Switched has become one of my favorites so far, with Kaga also being on my list of favorite male Japanese drama characters. I'm late but now, I understand why the ladies love him!! Hoping that the success of this drama will open a door for others to explore engaging Japanese dramas like this. Give this a try if you're looking for a short drama that can blow you away in one sitting.

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I'm a fan of Mika Ninagawa's art direction (most especially in Helter Skelter) so I was so excited when Followers became available on Netflix.

However, as I progressed, I honestly felt bored. I don't know why but I didn't feel the same rawness I have always felt whenever I usually watch Japanese dramas. I love the cinematography, but I think it overshadowed the intention of the drama. It was supposed to be an empowering story about the ladies and how they balance several aspects of their lives such as career, love life, motherhood, and friendship but for me, it fell short. It managed to touch on some important subjects and could be a great conversation starter but unfortunately, the message wasn't richly disintegrated so it didn't feel satisfactory to me. The characters also appeared shallow to me, so I didn't feel attached to them at all (which is a little bit disappointing because most of the time, I have a hard time parting with the previous Japanese dramas I have watched because of the emotional impact they've created on me).

But this doesn't mean that I hate this drama. I'm still entertained because I actually enjoyed watching its glamorous production and the cameo of some well-known Japanese stars. The outfits and styles of the characters are also eye-pleasing, which makes it one of the main reasons I like about Japan because their fashion is my cup of tea.

Overall, this drama wasn't that bad but could have been a lot better. I'm glad that Japanese dramas are starting to become available on bigger platforms like Netflix because it's about time for others to see how flexible their plots can be.

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A seat that only you can sit on forever, the special seat called 'right next to me'.

I really enjoyed watching this. It was my first time watching a drama about Kabuki, so I learned a lot because they also gave a general background about the plays that they have mentioned. It made me appreciate their culture so much because I saw how strict and respectful the actors were when it comes to their traditions. It's like seeing a completely new side of Japanese actors.

I also want to commend the development regarding Kyonosuke's character because he's not your typical cold-mysterious-edgy boy, he's a man who can learn from his mistakes and face everything for his family, friends, and also Ayame. Seeing how their romance developed between each other was so cute and innocent. And the friendship he established with Hiroki was also pleasant to watch, making me wish for male friendships to be like them in real life, too lol. However, I just feel sad for Hiroki and even thought that he'll snap at the end because he's been struggling to hold himself up, but I'm glad that he still decided to pursue his dreams.

Overall, I give this drama an 8 out of 10. I'm happy with the ending, and the acting was superb. I'm glad I stumbled upon this and gave it a try. What an experience!

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