Don't watch this dorama or you'll get feels and you'll die.
...
Wait, let me try this again.

Absolutely watch this dorama if you're looking for a different kind of crime series.

I am no expert on the matter, but I believe crime series are mostly about heists and police running about trying to catch the bad guys. In here, of course, you will find all that - Yamaneko is a ''criminal'' after all, - but you will also find a bit of mystery, quite a bit of sass, a lot of friendship, and loads of comedy. What you will also find is a variety of amazingly well constructed characters that will make you fall in love with them as the series progresses.

Speaking of the characters... don't fall in love with the characters or you'll get feels and you'll die. Or, as some people may put it, every character is so real and so genuine you will definitely get attached to them and, when time comes to say goodbye, you'll feel like you've lost a dear friend. That's what the characters do to you, and that's, no doubt, thanks to the great performance given by the stellar cast, especially Kamenashi Kazuya and Narimiya Hiroki.

Kamenashi absolutely slays it as Yamaneko, going from comedy to action to drama in a split second and in the most realistic way. I've seen some of his previous work, and I have to say he manages to surprise me more and more with each role he gets. Narimiya was, to put it in Yamaneko's words ''fantastic!'' He can hold his own against Kamenashi, and really goes all out as Katsumura, especially in later episodes.

As for the rest of the cast, each of them was phenomenal in their role. If I have to be completely honest, I would have liked for Rikako-san and Mao's relationship to be explored more, because they were both strong people who needed each other, and I found that beautiful. Maybe in the (probable?) next season, who knows. The police officers were great as well - and I especially appreciated Sakura's clumsiness and awkwardness when it comes to her senpai. lol

I liked the music a lot! The main theme is great, and I keep whistling and mumbling it to myself from time to time. The ending theme, which I believe is from Kame's boyband, is good, but not that memorable, in my opinion. Maybe it's because we never got to actually hear it, but it was always played in the background, so I never really paid attention to it.

The rewatch value is somewhat high because this series is enjoyable even after the ''mystery'' component is gone. The characters and the comedy stay with you and compel you to watch the episodes again, to laugh with them once more, just for a bit...

Overall, I am very pleased with this roller coaster of a dorama. Nya~!

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It's so difficult to make a review of this movie without giving some stuff away, but I'll try.

If you're looking for a great movie, just watch Initiation Love. Don't read the plot, because, just going by that, I would probably never have watched it. I started it because one of my favourite actors, Matsuda Shota, is in it, but as the minutes passed I forgot about him and got sucked into the story.

The plot itself is nothing special: we're in the '80s, and a nerdy, overweight guy meets a cute girl and falls in love. While he thinks he can never be with her, the girl, Mayu-chan, actually seems to like him despite his looks and personality (which, I need to say, are completely normal and there's really nothing wrong with him.) Takkun - the nickname Mayu-chan has given him - then decides to "become a better [looking] man" for her sake. Change of scene, a very fit and 'kakkoii' Takkun gets transferred to Tokyo for work, and, gradually, his and Mayu-chan's relationship starts falling apart. But, and this is stated at the very beginning of the movie, there's a "secret" to this whole story, and it's up to the viewer to figure it out before the ending.

The acting is... I mean... it's Matsuda Shota. That guy could star in a dorama where he has to stand still in a silly pose and still make the whole thing shine. Man, what an actor.
I didn't know any of the other actors, but I loved Maeda Atsuko as Mayu-chan - even though I couldn't stand her character for sooo many reasons. (But there's no likeable character here, really.)

The music was perfect for the dorama, but I don't have much to say about it. I remember liking it, but I don't remember the actual songs. I think they were all era-appropriate though.

The rewatch value is very high because, even if you do know the story, you will want to watch it again because now you do know everything.

Overall, a beautiful movie with great actors that I really recommend to everyone - Matsuda Shota's fans in particular!

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I was highly anticipating this dorama because it sounded like the cliched rom-com one may want to watch to pass the time, and I wasn't wrong.

The plot is not original, it's something we might have seen a thousand times over. If I had to summarise it in under 50 words, this is what I'd say: ''Tsundere president of hotel company falls in love with pretty employee. He's the best at his job but sucks at love. Mayhem ensues.''
To be fair though, this rom-com may be something more than your usual tsundere rich guy/pretty and pure employee story, but don't expect to find out about what it is that makes it different until the very end.

Let's talk about the characters. We have Ohno Satoshi as Samejima Reji, the brattiest 2 years old in the body of a 30-something years old you'll ever meet. He'll make you root for him, love him, then despise him around the 5th episode's mark, and then kinda like him again in the end. It's seriously a roller-coaster.
Haru plays Shibayama Misaki, Samejima's love interest, and does so convincingly. Amazing at her job, she's capable of standing up for herself when needed, which is good, but her habits of speaking in keigo really gets to you after a while. Overall, a likeable character, though.
Let's move on to my favourite character: Muraoki, Samejima's secretary! She's sassy, independent, strong, amazing, and awesome. She tells it like it is and she's quite simply the best. A+.
Finally, I'm not going to mention the rest of the characters, but each and everyone of them was a nice addition. Shout-out to Miura for being the best clueless buffoon ever.

The acting was good, albeit a little over the top at times (but I kinda liked that because it was fitting.) I loved Samejima's facial expressions so much. They were the funniest hands down.
Also, having watched Haru in some interviews and programs and stuff, where she barely speaks or moves at all, I was pleasantly shocked to see she's a good actress. There's nothing, or little, of Haru in Misaki.

I loved the music! The ending theme is, of course, Arashi, and it's a very catchy song.

I'm not one for rewatching doramas, but this was so good, so I'm definitely gonna watch it again sometimes in the next few years.

All in all, this is a great dorama. Funny as heck. Made me go as far as watching it without subtitles because I couldn't wait - and my Japanese is basic at best! Also, I believe the ending is probably hinting to a second season or a SP (more probable), so I'm holding my breath for that.

Definitely recommended for those of you looking for:
-a (somehow different kind of) rom-com
-a tsundere main lead (it doesn't get any more tsundere than Reiji, istg)
-a funny dorama with typical Japanese over-the-top acting
-(kinda) realistic portrayal of some aspects of romantic relationships

Isanami suyao ;)

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If you're looking for a good dorama with the non-complex kind of time travel and good stand-alone episodes to pass the time, I highly recommend you make the wonderful decision to watch Suteki na Sen-TAXI. (Sorry for the pun, I simply HAD to.)

This series is about Eda-san, a Taxi driver with a special Taxi that can bring his customer back to a time of their choosing to ''set right what went wrong'', to quote another great - and underestimated - series about time travel called Quantum Leap. So each episode is a stand-alone story about this or that customer going ''back to the futur--'' I mean... the past, till they get it right. There's a sort of continuity as well between the episodes with recurring characters (the staff at the Choice Café for example), the hilarious scenes from the impossibly confusing ''dorama'' Hanzai Deka, or the recurring no-time-slip-feeling joke, which gets more and more hilarious as time passes - even going so far as subtly referencing Doctor Who, at some point.

With the exception of the first episode, which was kind of weird, compared to the rest of the series, the stories are mostly light-hearted and funny, or bittersweet at most. Please don't let the first episode influence your viewing. It kinda sets the series to be dark and heavy, but that episode was really the odd one out.

I mentioned early in the review that this series is about the ''non-complex'' kind of time travel - that means, this is not Primer, you can watch this series without getting confused about timelines and paradoxes and stuff. That said, there are some paradoxes in the series that bothered me a lot, so, if you're like me, they're gonna bother you too. But the series doesn't address them - maybe the writers didn't even notice them - so just try and find some explanation for yourself or try to accept the matter as it is. Shouganai.

I liked the acting a lot, especially from the main cast. The guests were all good with some exceptions, but the fact that they were there for just the one episode makes it so it doesn't ruin your viewing. The Henzai Deka cast was delusional and over the top, so they were brilliant as well.
Fun fact: the creator of the series is actually one of the main cast's actors. I was a little surprised when I found out.

The music, especially the instrumental OP was great! I didn't like the ''time-slip sound effect'' very much, though - it became annoying after a while.

You can easily rewatch this series whenever you want, and you don't even have to watch it altogether because of its stand-alone episodes.

So then, I guess you have a general idea of the fact that life has many turning points, right? What kind of job will you land? What kind of house will you live in? What will you have for dinner? Will you watch this dorama or not?

Well?
What kind of choice will you make?

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A wise man once said ''YAY! Panda!'' and from then on the word ''panda'' became the protagonist of a bunch of puns that are so lost in translation that I feel so bad if I think about the fact that I'm not Japanese. Uso da to itte yo... (I'll leave this for you to complete)

This was one of my first doramas, and I remember being very indecisive about watching it, but I'm so glad I did. A year and so later, this is still the best dorama I've ever watched, and my absolute favourite. It's not even the plot per se, which could very well be seen as nothing special. It's... the characters? The friendship? The emotions? The stories? I wouldn't know.

I mean, if I think about it... Love Shuffle is not that special. It has characters who fall in love, get heartbroken, fall in love again, maybe even find a happy ending. And yet it's more than that. I came for the romance, but stayed for... anything but.

Yes, this has romance in it, the whole plot is driven by it. But. Is it your standard rom-com? Not a chance.
Admittedly, every pairing could actually work - with a couple of exceptions. You do figure out who's gonna end up with whom by the second round of shuffling (mid-way), but personally... I didn't care.

I mean, if you ever feel in doubt whether you should watch this dorama, just watch the first episode and then decide. The first 15 minutes are an absolute delight, and, looking back, I realise that's the moment I was hooked.

I am, of course, talking about the most amazing piece of television ever written: the elevator scene. How in the world can you take four characters who don't know each others, and of which the viewer doesn't know anything about and doesn't care for (yet), put them in an elevator, and still make the scene work and not feel unnecessarily long? I don't even know. If you figure out the answer, please leave a comment to let me know.

You can really rewatch this dorama as much as you like without getting bored: beware though, it's so good you'll wish you could rewatch it again the moment it ends.

The cast is phenomenal, with one exception - I didn't like Yukki (Daigo) very much, but I guess it's his voice. It's just so annoying. Uzze.

Shoutout to my Ojiro's (Matsuda Shota's) hair. Man, he can really rock that hairstyle.

The music is great! I still, to this day, adore the instrumental theme and listen to it very often. The main theme is Fantasy by Earth, Wind and Fire, so prepare yourself because it'll get stuck in your head. That, and Eternal Flame by Bangles. Seriously, it's a curse.

I have yet to find a dorama as good as this one, but in my heart I know that nothing can ever be like the gem that is Love Shuffle. Yay, Panda!

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I've been debating with myself whether to give this series a perfect score, but I went for a 9.5 only because historical genres are not my favourite thing since they tend to become darker as the story progresses, and Tenno no Ryoriban is no exception.

Central theme of the dorama is doing everything and anything with a magokoro - a sincere heart, that is - and, beyond any doubt, Tokuzo has the biggest, purest, most sincere heart of them all when it comes to things that matter. The story focuses on Akiyama Tokuzo's life and his path to becoming the Emperor's personal chef. Along the way, you see the character grow thanks to his family and loved ones, and, even if you kinda hate him at the beginning, - *mutters* the ungrateful brat, - after a while you can see he really understands and learns to appreciate the love he's been given and be grateful for it.

For this reason, I believe another important theme of the story is love. Be it romantic, or familial, or friendly, love is the guiding force behind the action: Tokuzo's love for food, Toshiko's love for Tokuzo, Shutaro's love for his family and his country... every single act of love makes up this dorama and lets the story unfold beautifully.

The acting is phenomenal. I loved every single performance given by the actors. Sato Takeru, Kuroki Haru and Suzuki Ryohei in particular, stole the scene every time they were on the screen. I have nothing to say, I was truly amazed by the stellar job they've done. Bravissimi.

The music was sweet and perfectly suited for the dorama. As for the rewatch value, this is such a good series, you would probably want to watch it again. I'm not one for rewatches, but this is definitely something I would see myself watching again in a few years' time.

To conclude, even if historical doramas are not your favourite thing in the world, you should still give Tenno no Ryoriban a chance. This series has love, friendship, life, death, acts of selfishness, acts of selflessness, sadness, happiness, hope, dreams... everything. You won't regret it.

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Okay, so. I was a little reluctant when I started this series because I don't like sports doramas/animes/mangas/etc., but, if you're like me, you'll be happy to know that the basketball component makes up for only about the 10% of the whole thing. More often than not, you'll see Naoki (Yamapi) practising in the neighbourhood's field, but the actual matches? You only see them in a couple of episodes. Honest.

There's also a music component/storyline: Riko's (Kitagawa Keiko) dream is to be a violinist, so we often see/hear her play the violin, while her friend Mai (Kanjiya Shihori) plays the flute. I am still confused as to what Mai's ultimate dream is, though; she basically only talked about boys 100% of the time.

The show in general has many themes: friendship, love, dreams, betrayal, future, self-sacrifice. I just felt like it could be so much more, but it disappointed every expectations.

The way the story starts, I fell completely in love. The first half of the series (till about ep 06), is a crescendo. Those first episodes could have been the magnificent premise for a great character development that didn't come for (almost) any of them. Riko, especially, disappointed me so much that I'm still mad if I think about it. Overall, I also felt like the sexism is too unbearable even for a Japanese series.

The music was amazing, because the main theme was a B'z song, so everything was good. I was kinda bummed when they cut off the lyrics at times, though. Apart from that, I liked the way they stopped the (instrumental) music whenever there was a dramatic moment. 100% would advise to listen to the opening (and watch it, now that you're at it, because that shot at the beginning - YOU'LL KNOW WHICH ONE - is just ugh too much to take).

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If you had a chance to go back in time to confess to the one you love and change your destiny, would you do it? Well, then, "Hareruja, chansu!"

What I loved the most about this dorama was the co-existence of romance and time travel (subgenre of fantasy rather than sci-fi, but who cares). The idea of going back in time to change your destiny is not a new one, but only being able to go back through photos is, and I found it brilliant. Yes, there is the tiny detail that, if you can just go back to a time where you've taken a picture, why not just gather other pictures to get other chances? But let's not look for logic in romantic doramas, or we'll end up wondering why the hell Ken (Yamapi) didn't just confess when he got back the first time.

The characters in general were all good. Ken and Rei being the leads, get most of the screen time, but I actually fell in love with Mikio not knowing how or when. Maybe the fact that he's the most mature of the group is what made me fall for him, I don't know. I just wish he had more screen time - or a more elaborated storyline at least.

My favourite character in all this, though, is probably the fairy. He's such a unique character, for starters, and I like the way he supported Ken's love from the get-go. It's too bad he only appeared at the beginning and the end of the episodes, though. I would have liked it more if he could have been a sort of guide to Ken even in the past, you know?

As for the acting, I didn't like Yamapi very much, to be honest. I felt like he was good at playing certain emotions, but couldn't fully let himself go on others. But maybe it's the character, I don't know, I'm not a Yamapi expert.

I found the music great, especially the ending theme. The whole video to go with it is quite weird, though. I imagine it has been hard for them not to laugh while looking at each other for what seems like hours. It made me uncomfortable at times lol

To be honest, the whole story is actually very predictable (especially the way it ends), but I liked it nonetheless. It's a very nice way to spend one's weekend: binge-watching ProDai and then being obsessed with Yamapi's ridiculous pose all through the following week. Just give this dorama a "chansu" ;)

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This is such a cute and original drama, I didn't expect to like it so much.

The cinematography alone is stunning, colour-saturated and very fantasy-like. The story concept is very simple and so original. The plot is linear because this is clearly a family show, but it's so nice to follow nonetheless. One thing I didn't like (but I think was done on purpose, because they kept addressing it) was the romanticisation of the onii-chan gachas... they're supposed to be your brothers, not your boyfriends, ew.

Also, look out for references to other shows and 4th wall breaking, because that happens a lot! I laughed so much because of that!

I loved the main duo, they were so cute together! The perfect siblings! Even though the acting in general, is not top-notch, the main lead (the little girl) is awesome, and she easily compensates for everyone else who might be lacking.

The music is okay - nothing special, but the ending theme gets stuck in your head (*sings* ''gacha, gacha, onii-channn'')

I've given a high score to the rewatch value because I think you could definitely rewatch this over and over and wouldn't get bored.

I really recommend this if you're looking for a nice and short dorama (every ep is 20 minutes or so). You could also decide to watch this for the ikemen value. Wouldn't blame you.

Gacha, gacha!

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If you're looking for a great dorama about sports, friendship and hard work, and how these things can truly change a person, then look no further, because this is the one for you.

Just a premise here: I don’t even like sports stuff - even though I am super into dancing, so rhythmic gymnastic has a certain appeal to me - yet I still loved this dorama. I just loved the story and the characters too much.

Yes, certain things could have been developed better - I am looking at you, Mizusawa, Satoshi, Ryosuke... ok, let’s face it, any character but Wataru. I get that maybe they didn’t have the time to do that, still, you spend a whole episode on a certain character and their secret a/o backstory, and make a big deal out of it, and the next day is basically like NOTHING happened and it never gets mentioned again. It's a bit weird.

Anyway, while the plot feels rushed here and there, I still loved this series for the messages it conveyed. I love how the show it's about second chances. Wataru, Ryosuke, Nippori and Kiyama are "bad boys", each with a very interesting past that makes us understand why they are the way they are. On the other side, Yuta, Mizusawa, Kaneko, Hino and Satoshi are "normal guys" with dreams, disappointments and problems of their own. I love that we get to see inside their brain, pick their lives apart, while uncovering their feelings and motivations little by little. I feel like you can't help but love them all, in the end.

In my opinion, then, even with its rushed plot and its flaws, Tumbling is so good, so genuine: a great series about friendship and hard work that I would recommend to everyone, so grab the episodes and at least ten boxes of tissues and be ready to cry and laugh and let your heart be stolen by this show. You’ll thank me later.

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Maaan, I loved this dorama, it was awesome.

Let me start this review by saying that this is definitely NOT a dorama for everyone. I'm pretty sure 90% of you will hate it in the end. It's just one of those. In my case, it's just my cup of tea, my raison d'être.

We have the classic, perfect Japanese family: father, mother, two sons. Father works and brings home the big bucks, mother is the perfect housewife, first son is a straight-A student and amazing athlete. The only problem is the second son, the hikikomori who won't go to school because he's being bullied. Enter Yoshimoto-sensei, the home tutor with 100% success rate of getting his students into what seems to be the most prestigious university out there. But we soon discover that, as Yoshimoto-sensei's mask fades away, the family's pretty façade crumbles as well, because nothing is what it seems.

About the acting--
At first I was quite sceptic about Sakurai Sho's (Yoshimoto-sensei) acting, but as the episodes went I understood that he captured the character's essence, and he probably couldn't have done it any other way - nor would I have wanted him to. As for the rest of the cast, man, it was stellar. I loved every single one of them, especially the two sons. Both played their part so convincingly and amazingly. None of the roles were easy, but they all just made them come to life with no hesitation. I was stunned.

The music was great because it was soooo off. I know this sounds weird, but, look, the whole series is about a supposedly ''happy'' and ''perfect'' family and so the cheery music is used to create the contrast and the paradox. As for the ED theme - dammit, not I have that Arashi song stuck in my head!

Rewatch value is meh. This is one of those series you can only watch once, I'm afraid. Giving it a non-committal 6.

I can honestly say I wouldn't change a thing about this dorama. 10/10, and I'm seriously considering adding it to my favourites. II, ne~!

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I just finished watching this dorama, and, I must say, I loved it.
I didn't expect it to be so action-packed, and sometimes the bloody scenes were disturbing (not my cup of tea), but the special effect, man. Wow. I didn't see that coming for sure.

The main cast did a great job! Both Kimura-san and Shibasaki-san are so pretty that I don't know if I ship them together or with me, but that's something for another time.

I loved how Kimura-san could keep his acting fresh, playing Reiji and Lloyd in a different way, just changing the look on his face. On this note, I just loved Reiji's expressions, so sweet and clueless. I also loved his relationship with Asahi, and I would have liked it if we could have seen more of that.

As for Asahi's character, the way the dorama started, I had the impression that she was going to be a more active part of the story, but instead she's just there - sometimes yelling, some crying, some being extremely cute... but... that's it. It was kinda disappointing, I must say.

On the other hand, Nanase-chan and Reiko were amazing characters, surprisingly enough. I don't want to talk about them for fear of giving stuff away, but I will just say... *slams fist on table* MOAR NANASE-CHAN!!

The music was really good - and in English! And, speaking about that, there was a lot of English in this dorama! (And, yes, it was English, not Engrish - even though you have that occasionally as well)

As for what I disliked, there's only really two things that bothered me: 1. I felt like some things were not coherent in the dorama itself - like unanswered questions or incomplete storylines - but maybe it's just me; 2. the very last scene of the ending - but I won't say any more here, because it would be spoiler.

To conclude: watch, watch, WATCH!! I don't understand why there are so many negative comments on this dorama, really! If sci-fi is not your genre, then don't watch it. If it is, you're good. ENJOY!

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It's so easy for these kind of stories to end up feeling cheesy or clichéd, but this is not the case with Bara no nai Hanaya. The dorama is fresh and delicate, and touches upon various themes like family, friendship, vengeance, and kindness with the utmost sweetness and without too many pretences. Nothing in the story is ever exaggeratedly melodramatic or tragic, but it will make you cry nonetheless. Sometimes you will be happy-crying, sometimes you won't. But you can't help but shed a tear or two because the stories, the characters, the emotions - they're all real and will melt your heart.

I would explain the story but here's the great thing about this dorama: there isn't just one. Every time a plot closes, another one opens up. This makes the story flow beautifully and naturally, and keeps you wondering what will happen next.

The acting was amazingly well done, especially considering there's a child - the girl playing Shizuku - in the cast. Even the supporting cast was great. The only reason why I didn't give it a full 10 is because I don't think I liked Katori Shingo-san's acting in some places.

The music was perfectly suited for the dorama, and I suspect the ED theme will be stuck in my head for quite a while.

This is a beautiful, essentially human, family drama. It's a real gem worth watching, and I recommend it to everyone.

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I liked the first season very much because it was funny, over the top, and cute. I hoped this season would be too, but, sadly, I was mistaken.

This season started off on the right foot, and then lost itself very quickly. Every two episodes or so, the same pattern gets repeated, so the story gets very repetitive really soon. What's more, the whole season is about rape. Every other episode, a character will try to rape either Nika or one of the other female characters. This is the reason why I gave the series such a low score.

The acting was generally good! The main cast is still great. As for the characters, while in the first season I liked Arata the most, in here I slowly fell in love with Masamune <3 Baka <3

The music is okay - and the dance in the ending credits is so cool!

All in all, I don't recommend this season to anyone. Believe me, you'll be better off.

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I started reading the manga quite a while ago, but I never continued because at that time I was drowning in mangas, and so I decided to only pick up completed stories (this was still on-going). Well, now I have to say, I need to read it again, because if the dorama is even half as good as the original manga, this is going to be a great reading.

The story is, to put it simply, amazing. I love LOVE mysterious/psychological stuff, so this is right up my alley. The whole concept of the game is so great, and the ways to compete in it are even better. My favourite game was the Minority Rule, hands down. I think this would make for a great party game, especially when you're trying to break the ice with new people. Will definitely play it sometimes in the future.

The first two episodes, I'll admit, weren't that great. They were a little boring to me, because not much happens. But as soon as you get past that, everything is like a roller-coaster. Every episode ends with a cliffhanger, and you won't be able to stop watching. For this reason, I highly recommend you marathon the whole thing. I unfortunately didn't have the time to do so during the day, so the whole thing ended up with me not sleeping during the night. Not recommended. Especially if you have to get up at 8 in the morning to study and you went to sleep at 5 in the morning.

The main leads are Toda Erika and Matsuda Shota, whom I loved even before watching this dorama. Their acting is great, and so is that of the supporting characters. In the case of some characters, though, the acting is too over the top (Fukunaga-san and Yokoya-san, I'm looking at you), and Nao-chan actually irritated me to no end because she's just so idiotic sometimes (read: 99% of the times). As for Akiyama-san, I'm both in love with him and scared of him.

The music was okay, it didn't feel out of place, so that's enough for me. I'm giving it a 7 because it complimented the scenes.

As for the rewatch value... hmm... I wouldn't know if this is a good dorama to rewatch. I feel like mystery/psychological/thriller doramas can't withstand the repetition because you already know what happens. I'm giving it a non-committal 6.

On a final note, I felt like some of the explanations were unnecessary and made me feel like a child. The dorama treats its spectators like stupid people sometimes.

Still, a very pleasant watch. I think this is getting a spot on my favourites' list.

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