First Love: Hatsukoi | Short Review

A first love that couldn’t be forgotten. 
Notable Actors/Actresses

Mitsushima Hikari: Noguchi Yae

Satoh Takeru: Namiki Harumichi 
Japanese Title
初恋

First Love

(Same characters as Chinese)

Year: 2022 
Episodes: 9

Uchi no Musume wa, Kareshi ga Dekinai!! | Recap and Review

A mother and daughter find love.
Notable Actors/Actresses

Kanno Miho: Minase Aoi

Hamabe Minami: Minase Sora 

Japanese Title
ウチの娘は、彼氏が出来ない!!

Year: 2021
Episodes: 10

Recap Grade: B/C

Kanojo wa Kirei datta | Recap and Review

A girl thinks she's not pretty enough for her first love
Notable Actors/Actresses

Nakajima Kento: Hasebe Sosuke

Koshiba Fuka: Sato Ai
English Title
She Was Pretty

Year: 2021
Episodes: 10

Recap Grade: A

Nagi no Oitoma | Recap and Review

A girl with the power of the Atmosphere! 
Notable Actors/Actresses

Kuroki Haru: Oshima Nagi

Takahashi Issei: Gamon Shinji
Japanese Title
凪のお暇

Nagi’s Long Vacation

Network: TBS

Year: 2019
Episodes: 10

Recap Grade: B

Saka no Tochu no Ie | Recap and Review

A mother living on a slope. 
Notable Actors/Actresses

Shibasaki Ko: Yamazaki Risako

Mizuno Miki: Ando Mizuho
Chinese Title
坂の途中の家

The House on the Slope

Network: WOWOW

Year: 2019
Episodes: 6

First Impression: 5/5

Neechan no Koibito | Recap and Review

A woman finds a soulmate in a broken man. 
Notable Actors/Actresses

Arimura Kasumi: Adachi Momoko

Hayashi Kento: Yoshioka Manato
English Title
Our Sister's Soulmate 

Network: Fuji TV

Year: 2020
Episodes: 9

Recap Grade: C

Watashitachi Wa Douka Shiteiru | Short Recap and Review

A dark forbidden love story in a sweet confectionery shop.
Notable Actors/Actresses

Hamabe Minami: Hanaoka Nao

Yokohama Ryusei: Takatsuki Tsubaki
English Title
There's Something Wrong With Us

Network: NTV

Year: 2020
Episodes: 8

Love That Makes You Cry Review

Should you watch this drama? This drama is for those who can appreciate the mundane, those who can withstand a slow drama. I would not recommend this drama to someone who has just started appreciating Jdramas. There aren’t really suspenseful moments and although there are heartbreaking scenes there isn’t a whole lot of it. It’s not that funny either. What I’m getting at is this drama doesn’t use normal tactics in engaging the audience. For the most part, the drama flows like a calm wave, sometimes there’s a huge one and other times they’re small ones but each wave is planned, nothing was random. But I’m prideful I’ve deciphered how clever this drama is. Those who have complained about how boring this drama is have not actually paid attention. At least that’s my humble opinion. I’m not going to hard sell this drama because I honestly don’t think most people can appreciate it. Those who are willing to, I welcome you (:

37.5°C no Namida Review

There are times when I’m looking for a “really good average Jdrama”. I know it’s a little contradicting but when I don’t want heart-breaking, ground-breaking, or anything-breaking, I want something simple and beautiful to watch that’s consistently good from start to finish. That’s what I call a really good average Jdrama and this drama is exactly my kind of really good average Jdrama. It is by no means a criticism of any sort.

My Synopsis: Sugisaki Momoko's traumatizing childhood has rendered her incapable of genuinely smiling. Despite that she works with kindergartens at Little Snow. As a caregiver, it is strictly forbidden to become emotionally attached to the children but Momoko can’t turn away from dysfunctional families (especially single dad families – wink wink).

Warning: at the very bottom of my post I have a lot of pictures that spoil the ending with regards to who Momoko ends up with. Don’t scroll down there if you don’t want to be spoiled. Otherwise I do try to remain spoiler-free.

Love That Makes You Cry Episode 1

Japanese Title: Itsuka Kono Koi wo Omoidashite Kitto Naite Shimau

My Synopsis: Two orphans finding love in Tokyo. Simple story but so beautifully executed that you'll regret sleeping through the slower parts of the drama. 

Never have I missed so many details while watching a drama let alone watching merely just one episode. Even watching it the third or fourth time, I’m still finding new facets to this beautiful piece of work. It’s astonishing and it leaves me bewildered. 

I think I'm in love.

N no Tame Ni Review

This was my second attempt at watching this drama. The first time, I didn’t like the opening because it was too dark for my liking at that time. The second time, I still didn’t like the opening but trudged on through because of all the year-end awards it got.  I mean there had to be something about that drama that got mass attention, right? Otherwise, I would have missed out on Kaseifu no Mita. 

N no Tame Ni was a pleasant surprise for how light it actually was contrary to its dark premise and dark undertone. I was happy that my ship never sank. More into the narrative, it wasn’t as brilliant as I had hoped but the interconnection between each scenes and the intricateness of each character’s resolve was tied neatly to one another making this an interesting watch that reeled me in one episode after another. I will definitely be keeping tabs on Kubota Masataka’s and Eikura Nana’s future projects.

One more thing! For those looking for an alternative ending, this review might give you a little hope.