Sunao ni Narenakute - ep 1 (second half), Yankee-kun, and a quick spring drama ranking post
You guys, I am so in love with Sunao ni Narenakute - I have finished the episode and if it keeps this up, it's going on my all-time favorites list. I am more of a kdrama girl than a jdrama one, but almost nothing can compare with a jdrama done right.
Before a few comments on second half of first ep (behind cut), I just want to point out that at least two of the five main characters would have legal recourse out of their horrible situations if they were in the United States.
Poor Seonsu. I wanted to go in there and shred that horrible person's face. What kind of boss pours a cup of water on his employee's head and belittles and insults him in front of everyone? This is a textbook case of workplace harassment and racial discrimination as Seonsu is Korean. Hello, lawsuit in the US! He'd win pretty easily, too.
And speaking of textbook, hello Kaoru's situation! This is like an example from a lawbook of what sexual harassment looks like! When your boss tells you she will fire you or demote you if you don't become her boytoy? Case over - though he should probably get some incriminating emails first.
Not to mention Hikaru's situation with her lousy boyfriend refusing to return her calls now that she may be pregnant. She should sue him for child support if she is :)
OK, this drama is making me lawsuit-happy, but seriously, I was watching this and going - GET A LAWYER, LADY AND GENTS! :P
But sadly they live in Japan.
I just love these shots of Keisuke - he wants to do arts photography but shooting softcore is what pays the bills. I love his self-disgust and frustration.
Also love the use of panels:
Tsukiko's situation isn't that great either - she seems a dynamic and popular teacher but she's a newbie only on probation and the older, stodgy teachers hate her teaching methods even if they are effective because they are unorthodox. Add in the fact that her brother is (it is hinted) had past involvement with gangs and also does drugs, and one of the kids in her class seems to have a creepy crush on her. Yeah.
I actually really like the ugly scene where Boss Lady tells Kaoru exactly what she wants and how she wants it and what will happen if she doesn't get it because it's not a topic I've seen addressed in a drama in my life except for in a scene in ToGetHer. I especially love that Kaoru's emotional reaction is as much about his belief that he got the job because he was a good editor being smashed as it is about his having to view himself as a whore. Also love that he does give in. It's an interesting dynamic - Boss Lady, just get yourself a host, honest!
I love this meeting with Keisuke and Tsukiko. Their chemistry is ridiculous and their interactions are ping-pong fast and rather tentatively sweet. I am, by the end of this ep, convinced that Keisuke used to be in the mob or gang (and the guy who called him was a former associate out for money) and the girl who is his 'not-girlfriend' is also a gang moll or similar - maybe taken by someone else so they are conducting affair in secret. I love that Keisuke is so honest about the kind of work he actually does (as opposed to travel photography or Vogue or whatever) because he says he wants the friendship to last a long time.
I have a confession to make - if they do decide to go shippy with these two, I just may end up shipping Kaoru/Hikaru (OMG, it's like Ouran High School Host Club twincest, lol) harder than I do Keisuke/Tsukiko. Maybe because they both seem to be a lot more screwed up than Keisuke and Tsukiko so far are shown to be or maybe because while this is the first time I find Eita attractive, he's got nothing on Tamayama Tetsuji. The thing that struck me as so poignant about this scene is that Hikaru has no one - she may be pregnant and she has nobody to go to the doctor with - not her slimy ex (whose baby this would be), no one - she doesn't even feel she can confide in her friend Tsukiko. How isolated must you be when the one person you can think of to ask to come with you for moral support is a guy you met once a couple days ago and with whom you had a failed one-night stand attempt? (Also, I like that Kaoru came even though yes - he barely knows Hikaru - he must be cripplingly lonely too).
I find Seonsu the most tragic character of all - he has a hellish life, his coworkers mock him and mistreat him, he is so broke his sister steals textbooks rather than ask him for money. He also seems to like Tsukiko but it's pretty clearly not going to go that way as Keisuke/Tsukiko are being set up as an OTP. And he's such a gentle soul. I want him to have a happy ending, please.
Now that I've checked out all the Spring dramas I planned to except for Yankee-kun to Megane-chan (because I am shallow and will give anything with Narimiya Hiroki at least a staring chance), I have a ranking.
But first a Yankee-kun trailer (it's a drama, I believe based on a manga I read and liked) about a formerly good student who became a delinquent (NH) and a former delinquent and now class president who decides to straighten him out.
Shiiiiip!
Now back to the rankings. I think my ranking in order of preference is:
1. Sunao ni Narenakute
2. Prosecutor Princess - it's fluffy and hilarious and romantic and emo and has a little mystery and I just adore it to ridiculous bits, even more than Cinderella Unni (blasphemy, I know!)
3. Cinderella Unni - excellent drama but it's so emo and everyone is so miserable, I may be putting it on hiatus for a few weeks. It's spring out and also there are stressful things in my own life going on, so I want something more mellow and less melo to buck me up.
4. Oh My Lady - not a masterpiece but I have silly fun watching it
5. Personal Taste - after a rough first 4 eps, gotten better and is pretty enjoyable now, with a bit of judicious fast-forwarding.
Before a few comments on second half of first ep (behind cut), I just want to point out that at least two of the five main characters would have legal recourse out of their horrible situations if they were in the United States.
Poor Seonsu. I wanted to go in there and shred that horrible person's face. What kind of boss pours a cup of water on his employee's head and belittles and insults him in front of everyone? This is a textbook case of workplace harassment and racial discrimination as Seonsu is Korean. Hello, lawsuit in the US! He'd win pretty easily, too.
And speaking of textbook, hello Kaoru's situation! This is like an example from a lawbook of what sexual harassment looks like! When your boss tells you she will fire you or demote you if you don't become her boytoy? Case over - though he should probably get some incriminating emails first.
Not to mention Hikaru's situation with her lousy boyfriend refusing to return her calls now that she may be pregnant. She should sue him for child support if she is :)
OK, this drama is making me lawsuit-happy, but seriously, I was watching this and going - GET A LAWYER, LADY AND GENTS! :P
But sadly they live in Japan.
I just love these shots of Keisuke - he wants to do arts photography but shooting softcore is what pays the bills. I love his self-disgust and frustration.
Also love the use of panels:
Tsukiko's situation isn't that great either - she seems a dynamic and popular teacher but she's a newbie only on probation and the older, stodgy teachers hate her teaching methods even if they are effective because they are unorthodox. Add in the fact that her brother is (it is hinted) had past involvement with gangs and also does drugs, and one of the kids in her class seems to have a creepy crush on her. Yeah.
I actually really like the ugly scene where Boss Lady tells Kaoru exactly what she wants and how she wants it and what will happen if she doesn't get it because it's not a topic I've seen addressed in a drama in my life except for in a scene in ToGetHer. I especially love that Kaoru's emotional reaction is as much about his belief that he got the job because he was a good editor being smashed as it is about his having to view himself as a whore. Also love that he does give in. It's an interesting dynamic - Boss Lady, just get yourself a host, honest!
I love this meeting with Keisuke and Tsukiko. Their chemistry is ridiculous and their interactions are ping-pong fast and rather tentatively sweet. I am, by the end of this ep, convinced that Keisuke used to be in the mob or gang (and the guy who called him was a former associate out for money) and the girl who is his 'not-girlfriend' is also a gang moll or similar - maybe taken by someone else so they are conducting affair in secret. I love that Keisuke is so honest about the kind of work he actually does (as opposed to travel photography or Vogue or whatever) because he says he wants the friendship to last a long time.
I have a confession to make - if they do decide to go shippy with these two, I just may end up shipping Kaoru/Hikaru (OMG, it's like Ouran High School Host Club twincest, lol) harder than I do Keisuke/Tsukiko. Maybe because they both seem to be a lot more screwed up than Keisuke and Tsukiko so far are shown to be or maybe because while this is the first time I find Eita attractive, he's got nothing on Tamayama Tetsuji. The thing that struck me as so poignant about this scene is that Hikaru has no one - she may be pregnant and she has nobody to go to the doctor with - not her slimy ex (whose baby this would be), no one - she doesn't even feel she can confide in her friend Tsukiko. How isolated must you be when the one person you can think of to ask to come with you for moral support is a guy you met once a couple days ago and with whom you had a failed one-night stand attempt? (Also, I like that Kaoru came even though yes - he barely knows Hikaru - he must be cripplingly lonely too).
I find Seonsu the most tragic character of all - he has a hellish life, his coworkers mock him and mistreat him, he is so broke his sister steals textbooks rather than ask him for money. He also seems to like Tsukiko but it's pretty clearly not going to go that way as Keisuke/Tsukiko are being set up as an OTP. And he's such a gentle soul. I want him to have a happy ending, please.
Now that I've checked out all the Spring dramas I planned to except for Yankee-kun to Megane-chan (because I am shallow and will give anything with Narimiya Hiroki at least a staring chance), I have a ranking.
But first a Yankee-kun trailer (it's a drama, I believe based on a manga I read and liked) about a formerly good student who became a delinquent (NH) and a former delinquent and now class president who decides to straighten him out.
Click to viewShiiiiip!
Now back to the rankings. I think my ranking in order of preference is:
1. Sunao ni Narenakute
2. Prosecutor Princess - it's fluffy and hilarious and romantic and emo and has a little mystery and I just adore it to ridiculous bits, even more than Cinderella Unni (blasphemy, I know!)
3. Cinderella Unni - excellent drama but it's so emo and everyone is so miserable, I may be putting it on hiatus for a few weeks. It's spring out and also there are stressful things in my own life going on, so I want something more mellow and less melo to buck me up.
4. Oh My Lady - not a masterpiece but I have silly fun watching it
5. Personal Taste - after a rough first 4 eps, gotten better and is pretty enjoyable now, with a bit of judicious fast-forwarding.