Rough around the edges, but super fun!

I had little to no expectations going into Fish Upon the Sky, as I found the trailer and concept pretty underwhelming and cliche. On top of that, it began airing a week after Tale of a Thousand Stars, which I absolutely loved, so the bar was set pretty high in my mind at that point. Now, after having completed the series, I can say with complete certainty that, although it does not surpass TOTS in the slightest, Fish Upon the Sky is one of GMMTV's stronger series over the past few years.

I'd first like to go over what I loved about this series and then what I didn't love as much:

To start, and I'd say this is the main selling point that sets it apart from it's predecessors, Fish Upon the Sky is absolutely one of, if not, THE funniest GMMTV series I've seen. I find a lot of the delivery comedy wise in GMMTV series to be a little cringy and sometimes hard to find funny, but this series does not have that problem in the slightest. Although Pi and Mork have some really funny scenes, especially towards the beginning, the humor really shines in the "Story of a fifth-year student" scenes with Meen and Duen. Both of them have really perfect comedic timing, and the ridiculousness of their scenes are so fun to watch!

That actually leads me to my next point, which is that the side couple is so charming! I often find myself skipping side couple scenes in a lot of GMMTV series such as MilPhukong in 2gether (I'm sorry FrankDrake!!) which is, similarly to FUTS, based on a Jittirain novel. However, in FUTS, the side couple is so incredibly likable and fun to watch! Both Neo and Louis give really fun performances and have great chemistry both comedically and romantically. To be honest, and I'll touch on this later, I actually would sometimes find myself skipping scenes with the main couple just so I could get to their scenes! Their dynamic is just so refreshing and cute! Towards the beginning of the series, they reminded me a lot of PickRome from Senior Secret Love: Puppy Honey, but as the series went on, they proved to be a lot less toxic and a lot more lighthearted, which I absolutely loved. I believe Louis is a new face at GMM, and I absolutely hope that he has more roles in the future because he's packing so much talent (he can sing, dance, act, he's funny, and he's just so freaking adorable!! PLEASE I"M BEGGING YOU GIVE HIM MORE ATTENTION!!!)

I think the last stand out thing I really enjoyed about this series was Phuwin's role as Pi. I think Pi was a super unique BL protagonist. His struggles were super relatable, and his snarky attitude was really fun. I also liked that he wasn't afraid to stand up for himself when he was being harassed online Phuwin really really surprised me in this role, as I was only familiar with him from The Gifted Graduation, where I found his acting a little overdone and uncomfortable at times, but here, he felt super natural and authentic, like you could know him in real life! I know he's around my age, so it's super impressive to me that he's able to do so well as he did, and I hope to see him in more roles in the future!

Alright now onto the stuff I didn't particularly enjoy:

This is definitely an unpopular opinion, but I really did not enjoy Mork for the majority of the series. I think a lot of fans were really charmed by his looks (Don't get me wrong, I was too, Pond is VERY pretty), but I think because of that, they overlooked a lot of the glaring flaws in his character. For one, he was super pushy with Pi. He kept insisting and insisting and insisting that Pi really liked him, and ignored when Pi asked him to leave him alone. Moreover, him egging on the MorkPi fanpage shippers was really not cool, especially after Pi made it VERY clear he was uncomfortable with it. I just found a lot his behavior to be reminiscent of the toxic archetypes commonly used in BL, and that just did not vibe with me, I'm sorry. I think he did have his good moments, for instance, the confession scene in episode 9, but overall, he was just way too aggressive and forward with Pi for my comfort levels. On top of that, and I really hate to say it because he seems like such a sweetheart, but I don't think Pond's acting skills were developed enough for this big of a role just yet. As far as I know, this is his second role ever after The Gifted Graduation, where he wasn't even in the actual show, but a narrative ad that played after the last few episodes, and it really shows. A lot of his line delivery fell flat to me, and his more emotional scenes didn't hit me at all like Phuwin's did. I think he has a lot of potential, and I'll definitely follow his work moving forward, but I don't think he was ready for this performance.

Another thing I didn't love was the story. Like I said, before going into FOTS, I set my expectations low because the plot was so cliche, and although I was impressed and surprised by other aspects of the show, which I touched on earlier, the plot was absolutely everything I expected, and not in a good way. The whole "ugly duckling" storyline is super played out, and paired with the original enemies to lovers dynamic MorkPi originally has, it just feels like nothing new or interesting. What's worse, in the Pi is perfectly good looking even before his whole "transformation"!! I feel like "My Dear Loser: Edge of 17" is a prime example of a well told ugly duckling story because you see the transition in both looks and personality, and how those affect the protagonist, whereas FOTS doesn't fully commit to this storyline, so it falls flat and feels unnecessary.

This is kind of similar to my last point, but this series is really hypocritical in its message, as it tries to both denounce a lot of common BL tropes while feeding into those same tropes at the same time! The whole storyline with the MorkPi shippers is a great example. Pi stands up to the shippers and defends his privacy, telling them how serious what they're doing actually is, which is fantastic, but right after, the show goes back to making the shippers seem goofy and lighthearted when, just as Pi said, what they're doing is really not a joke. The female characters, which in this show are far and few between, are either annoying, or used as a plot device to get one of the two couples closer together, which plays into the incredibly damaging BL trope of demonizing women. Bam was a really great character because she genuinely wanted Pi and Mork to get together, and then in the end out of no where, with literally ZERO foreshadowing, she sabotages them because she's apparently been secretly in love with Mork the whole time? Like wtf? There was no reason to do that with a perfectly good character just for the sake of causing drama in the last episode, especially when it was all resolved so quickly.

Finally, and this is SUPER nitpick-y, but the music in this show is so bad?? I'm not talking about the opening and ending songs which are both really beautiful and catchy, I'm talking abut the random English songs they use constantly that are laughably horrible and really distracting throughout. I know that's like not important at all, but I haven't seen anyone mentioning it so I just wanted to point it out lol.

Overall, although it's littered with overused tropes and sometimes uncomfortable acting, Fish Upon the Sky is a really fun series that deserves a lot of the love it's getting. I can't wait to see what these actors do next!

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Refreshing coming of age dramedy with a twist!

I'm truly in shock with this drama. I went in with no strong expectations one way or another, as the body switching trope has always been somewhat boring and repetitive to me, so I wasn't expecting anything special. What I got, however, was an unbelievably honest and mature story that explores the complexities of identity, gender, sexuality, and love with incredible nuance, as well as a cast of incredibly charming and interesting characters, each of whom have a defined arcs throughout the drama that uniquely tie in with the main theme.

TLDR: This drama is truly fantastic. If you're on the fence, please give it a try, I promise you will not regret it! It's unique enough to be interesting and stand out, but familiar enough to remain in the comfort zone of most audiences.

I'll now be breaking down my thoughts into more detail. There should only be very minor spoilers, (for instance, me referencing an actors performance in a scene with little to no major context).

Story: I really think one of the main highlights of the story in KnE is what a breath of fresh air it is. What I mean when I say that is that, even when utilizing several familiar and even overdone tropes, it feels like something I've never seen before (of course I have not seen every drama ever made, so not everyone might agree w/ me here). Each episode had a set theme and storyline that tied in together with the overall plot very nicely. I also really appreciated how well this series was able to incorporate both humor and genuine heartfelt drama throughout the story without either feeling forced or unnecessary.

Acting/Cast: The acting in KnE is really outstanding in my opinion. I went in knowing none of the actors, and I've come out a fan of each of them! Considering their young ages and fairly new careers, their performances are truly impressive. I have to give props especially to Sakurada and Fujiwara, as body swapping roles are quite difficult, and often done lazily, especially in gender bending scenarios (i.e., The female lead will act boyish and stereotypically masculine, while the male lead will act traditionally feminine, each focusing more on acting as the gender of the character they're embodying instead of the actual character). With these two however, I really got the feeling that they had switched. Sakurada truly felt as though she was playing Yashiro and Fujiwara truly felt like he was playing Kagura. The dinner scene at the end of episode 7 in particular was just so beautiful and emotionally moving, with the genuineness of both characters truly shining through.

Music: Not too much to say here other than that the opening song is really beautiful and fits the show very well in my opinion! It's such a fun start to each episode and it just brings me so much joy every time the first few opening notes play! I also appreciated the use of music in the drama, as it was not overused to amp up the drama in certain scenes, a problem I've noticed in a lot of my other favorite dramas that detracts from my enjoyment a bit.

Rewatch Value: I've only watched through the entire series once, so I can't completely speak to rewatch value, however, I really believe this will only get better with more rewatches for me personally (though this is coming from someone who frequently rewatches dramas regardless of quality so I wouldn't completely take my word on it.)

I had only a few, very minor issues with the show which I'll explain as briefly as possible:
1. I feel as though Kenta and Yashiro's romantic feelings for each other didn't have enough time to completely develop for their relationship to have enough of an impact. Specifically, I feel like we didn't really get that much explanation as to how Yashiro developed his feelings for Kenta, and that they had few scenes as an actual couple until the end (this is obv common for most dramas though so I can't get super mad).
2. If you're going into this drama expecting and excited about a GL storyline (like I and many others were), you will not find one, at least in the traditional sense. Again, I realize this is not the fault of the drama, as it's just a part of the overall story that makes sense in context, it's more so an issue with their being so few good GL J-Dramas out there!!
3. Sort of related to the last point, I wish there was a better conclusion for Rin's feelings for Kagura/Yashiro. I'm still satisfied with the ending we got, but I feel like for something that was such a big aspect of the story towards the first half of the series had a little bit of a stronger finish.
4. I WISH IT WAS LONGER. I WANT MOREEEEEE!!!

Anyways just to reiterate, this show is absolutely lovely, and if you have time, definitely check it out!

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Unforgettable coming of age series!

Going into "His - I Didn't Think I Would Fall in Love", I wasn't entirely sure what to expect, as the reviews were certainly mixed, waning negative. I even considered skipping it due to some of the criticism that I heard, but having watched it three times now, I'm so incredibly thankful I didn't. This series is a true, true, gem. The feeling I was left with after I watched it for the first time was something I don't think I'll ever forget, it just struck such a profound chord with me that I just can't fully explain.

Before I delve specifically into the story, characters, etc., I'd like to give a few disclaimers for those planning to watch this series:
1. "His - I Didn't Think I Would Fall in Love" is a coming of age story first, and a romance second. If you're looking for a story with tons of gooey romantic fluff and lovey-dovey scenes, this series may not be fully satisfying to you (that's not to say there aren't plenty share of sweet moments, but it's definitely not the focus). However, if you're looking for a beautiful coming of age story about courage, growth, and self acceptance, you've come to the right place.
2. I have NOT seen the sequel film to this series, but from what I've heard, the characters and story bare essentially no similarities, so if you've already seen the film and you're anticipating this series as a prequel to that story, I urge you to look at this as a separate project.

Now that that's out of the way, here are my individual thoughts!

Story - Definitely a little slow at first, but once it gets going, it really hits. There's not too much to say here, as the story is definitely not the driving factor with this series, especially with the length being so short. In fact, I personally feel like this drama would've worked much much better as a film.

Characters/acting - This is where the show really really shines for me. Most of the criticism I saw prior to watching "His" was that the characters, especially the two leads, where bland and one dimensional/unrealistic. Personally, I couldn't disagree more. In my opinion, Nagisa, Shun, Chika, and Ako are some of the most realistically written and acted teenage characters in any drama I've seen thus far. I really loved the conclusions they were all able to individually reach by the end of the series, particularly Nagisa's, which, without giving to much away, resulted in one of the most genuinely heartbreaking representations of internalized homophobia I've ever seen on screen, but I'll go into that more later.

Rewatch value: Although watching this series for the first time is really something else, the rewatch value is also extremely high. The simplicity of the story paired with the genuine emotion of the characters creates make this series absolutely timeless. You're unlikely to get anything new on rewatches with this one, but if you're looking for a nostalgic cozy feeling, you will most certainly get that.

FINAL VERDICT:
If you can't tell, I'm absolutely in love with this drama. The atmosphere, the characters, the score, the acting, it just all works for me. Not to mention the honest and genuine representation of young queer individuals, whose sexuality is not only acknowledged, but openly discussed and explored. Based on the comments and reviews I've seen, it's clearly not going to be everyone's cup of tea, but to those of you looking for a well-acted, nostalgic, queer coming of age story, I personally cannot recommend this series enough!

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Psychological drama framed though a thriller-mystery

Right off the bat, I'd like to say as a disclaimer that I just finished this film a few minutes ago, so all of my thoughts are VERY fresh:

Before watching "12 Suicidal Teens", I read several reviews warning potential viewers that the marketing for this film wrongly portrayed it as a murder-mystery thriller, when in reality, the story primarily circulates around the psychology of the situation. With these reviews in mind, I kept my expectations fairly low, unsure of what to expect both in content and quality. I had even considered skipping the film as a whole, with many other reviewers calling it boring and tonally inconsistent, but personally, I'm really glad I didn't. "12 Suicidal Teens" pleasantly surprised me in both its execution and premise, and despite some minor issues, I overall thoroughly enjoyed it!

If you're debating watching and want to remain spoiler free, (which I would recommend), I'll summarize my main opinions here: If you find the initial premise provided in the summary intriguing, don't let the reviews claiming this film lacks the mystery elements it claims to have scare you off. This movie, in my opinion, 100% delivers in its mystery elements, so long as you keep your expectations realistic. For those who are interested in the premise from a psychological standpoint, I'd encourage you even further to give "12 suicidal teens" a watch too, as the characters discussions unpacking the complexities behind suicide and their own personal reasons behind their decision to commit suicide is incredibly interesting and well written. Overall, it's an entertaining watch that will likely not be what you expect (for better or for worse lol)

Alright spoilers from here on out!:

Story: The clean cut premise was what initially drew me to this film. I thought the concept of 12 suicidal individuals having to solve the presumed murder of a stranger was incredibly fascinating, and what's more, the story takes place in a bottle setting, which is one of my favorite storytelling methods. Of course, if you've seen the film, you'll know the "murder" isn't all it's cracked up to be. I think this is where a lot of people lost interest in the film, as many had come expecting a high anxiety murder mystery thriller, when in reality, the mystery only really serves to push the theme forward. Disregarding the themes however, I personally still believe this movie presents a really fun and engaging mystery, where the more you think you know, the less you actually do. The more you learn, the more you question the rest of the characters and their trustworthiness. The final conclusion was a little anticlimactic in my opinion, but it kind of cemented the main focus of the film as the characters, not the story, which I appreciated.

Characters/cast: This is where "12 Suicidal Teens" really shines in my opinion. The characters in this film are so incredibly well written and well acted, it felt almost as though I had known them in real life! In particular, I think Furukawa Kotone, Kuroshima Yuina and Kitamura Takumi did a phenomenal job portraying their characters, with Furukawa specifically really standing out to me. Honorable mention to Hagiwara Riku, whose character was unfortunately not given much screen time in the last 2/3s of the film, but really stuck out to me in the screen time that he did have, with him having one of the more heart-wrenching stories out of the group in my opinion. This leads into the one major unfortunate problem w/ the characters in this film, which is that, due to the sheer number of characters, some characters, such as Funichino Yuto's character, fade into the background and are not given much screen time unless it's to move the plot along, which is all fine and good, but in the context of a character driven story such as this, it's a little disappointing. Again, overall though, all the actors truly hit their characters out of the park.

Rewatch value: Like I said earlier, I only finished "12 Suicidal Teens" for the first time a few minutes ago, so I have yet to rewatch it, but based on the way the mystery unfolds, I'd say it's good for one rewatch, but after that, it would start to feel a little repetitive and slow.

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