Nobuta wo Produce
So, I've pretty much finished watching all ten episodes in the span of two days, and it was amazing. Absolutely amazing. Possibly one of the best (if not the best) drama I have ever seen. It was just...gah, the heart. The heart. It was funny, adorable, heartbreaking, and how the heck did it manage to be all that and more in just ten episodes, I have no clue.
Kame is just an amazing actor. He brought Shuuji to life as this incredible, complex character, who at first sounded like this great big liar, who never shows his true self, but then...isn't. He's just a good guy, who wants to make everyone happy and by lying and being whoever they want him to be... And he really cares, which isn't someone you realise until Nobuta says it, and then suddenly it all clicks. He's so amazingly complex and perceptive, and he literally made me teary-eyed when he talks about how scared he was that nobody believed him. How alone he felt. And then the Shuuji-Nobuta hug. Omg, the sweetness just killed me. From being this popular guy to being ignored, and he just...he just looked so stricken.
I loved that bit when Aoi says she wants to crush Nobuta until Nobuta feels suicidal and wants to kill herself, and holy crap, the look in Shuuji's eyes... that angry, scared, overprotective look. Kame just brought Shuuji to life.
I adored the way Shuuji ties his fringe up at home, hee. Yes, just his fringe. The rest of his hair is down, so that it looks like he has a tiny palm tree on his head. ♥ Just so cute and funny. Also: Shuuji's really pretty, even though Kame looked so tiny and skinny here.
There are no words to describe Akira-or maybe there is. A stoned Jack Sparrow is so apt, because Akira does a lot of flailing and drunken weaving. Just replace the soy milk with rum, and there you go. He also does a lot of hand gestures that...really has no meaning and yet, so funny and cute and awesome. His voice-the way he speaks-omg, it's a combination of hilarious and adorable, because it's so giggly and drawly and very, very cute. His laugh is just ♥
I especially adored that scene where he has a fight (literally; that's why he's so strong) with his dad and decides to stay over uninvited at Shuuji's place. It was just...hilarious. He's likes the way Shuuji does his hair so he does it too! And then later on, Shuuji tucks in his top like how Akira wants him to here...hee, Akira gets Shuuji's brother and father to do it, and then wraps his arms around Shuuji to do it for him, while Shuuji jumps and flails and tries to push him way. It doesn't work. ♥
But most of all, I love Akira because he's so touchy feely. :D He glomps onto Shuuji. Hee. Shuuji flails and then tries to push him away, but even so, he knows it's futile and lets Akira glomp onto him. He does a good half-tackle too. ♥ It's so adorable.
Oh, and that scene where they try to teach Nobuta how to act on a date is just brilliant. Shuuji acts as Nobuta and is so awesomely girly. He flutters his eyelashes, he sits with his hands clasped and his head tilted flirtatiously, while Akira sort of flails around, pretending to be the guy who's taking her out on a date, and does these poses as they hold hands and try to act couple-y. Then...they make this hilarious kissy face at each other. ♥
Then...a teacher sees them and gets the wrong impression. Hee.
Nobuta broke my heart. She did, the poor thing. Seeing her getting picked on like that...seeing the past where she kept getting hurt... especially the flashback to a young Nobuta who called her step-father dad, only to have said father tell her he isn't her dad, he just married her mother. ;_;
And how she's trying to change her bleak outlook, how she wants to smile, so she keeps practising and practising, and then at the end when she finally does smile and laugh, and god, she looked so happy. *cue teary eyes* ;_;
I loved her awkwardness, the way she talked in that monotone voice. She was so adorably awkward, and I adored how she tugged at Shuuji's jacket to get his attention. ♥ She's so wise as well... Catherine was right: Nobuta did make Shuuji a better person. I loved her awkward, fast, stumbling walk-especially when she's running away from the guy who had a crush on her and later on, Shuuji, after the hug.
Akira's crush for her was so, so sweet and wonderful, and aw. When he held her hand to his cheek, when he threatened Shuuji casually to not pour water down during the whole 411 thing, and then later on, when he sees the picture of them hugging...yet, he puts Shuuji and Nobuta first in his heart, so he's not going to be selfish and break his friendship with them. Oh, Akira.
Another favourite scene was the one where Akira wants them to call him by his name...and they're like "..."
Shuuji: ...what is your first name anyway?
Akira: Akira SHOCK. *flails and slumps* ...My name is Akira.
Nobuta: AKIRA.
Shuuji: *jumps and turns to stare at Nobuta, grinning* She sounds mad; is this how you want to be called?
Then they proceed to teach Nobuta to say Akira's name normally. ♥
Shuuji: Nobuta, say my name.
Nobuta: Shuuji.
Shuuji: Okay, now say: Shuuji and Akira.
Nobuta: Shuuji and AKIRA.
Shuuji: *laughs*
Akira: ...
Hee.
I think this is the first time I don't have an OTP. The three of them are just so remarkably sweet together, and they care and love each other so much. I just...I just can't ship only two of them. I really can't. Not when the three of them are so... Yeah, I think I understand now how some people have OT3s. I used to be puzzled because I could only ever have OTPs, and having a third person felt weird, but now? Shuuji/Akira/Nobuta all the way. ♥
They are just so adorable...what with the shared dreams and all.
I have to admit, Gokusen 2 had more OTP vibes. It was pretty much Hayato/Ryu from the first episode onwards, and then the looks between them, that sort of tense, wistful longing... With Nobuta wo Produce, it was more like the budding of a really gorgeous, adorable friendship; with Gokusen 2, there was this sense of history and friendship.
I adore both series, but Nobuta wo Produce had a much better overall storyline and plot, where as Gokusen 2 was more episodic, although the characterisations were done wonderfully, I thought.
In other news, I've just noticed that I have officially (from early last month) had this journal for three years now. Three years and ongoing. Wow. I really didn't think it'd be that long.
Kame is just an amazing actor. He brought Shuuji to life as this incredible, complex character, who at first sounded like this great big liar, who never shows his true self, but then...isn't. He's just a good guy, who wants to make everyone happy and by lying and being whoever they want him to be... And he really cares, which isn't someone you realise until Nobuta says it, and then suddenly it all clicks. He's so amazingly complex and perceptive, and he literally made me teary-eyed when he talks about how scared he was that nobody believed him. How alone he felt. And then the Shuuji-Nobuta hug. Omg, the sweetness just killed me. From being this popular guy to being ignored, and he just...he just looked so stricken.
I loved that bit when Aoi says she wants to crush Nobuta until Nobuta feels suicidal and wants to kill herself, and holy crap, the look in Shuuji's eyes... that angry, scared, overprotective look. Kame just brought Shuuji to life.
I adored the way Shuuji ties his fringe up at home, hee. Yes, just his fringe. The rest of his hair is down, so that it looks like he has a tiny palm tree on his head. ♥ Just so cute and funny. Also: Shuuji's really pretty, even though Kame looked so tiny and skinny here.
There are no words to describe Akira-or maybe there is. A stoned Jack Sparrow is so apt, because Akira does a lot of flailing and drunken weaving. Just replace the soy milk with rum, and there you go. He also does a lot of hand gestures that...really has no meaning and yet, so funny and cute and awesome. His voice-the way he speaks-omg, it's a combination of hilarious and adorable, because it's so giggly and drawly and very, very cute. His laugh is just ♥
I especially adored that scene where he has a fight (literally; that's why he's so strong) with his dad and decides to stay over uninvited at Shuuji's place. It was just...hilarious. He's likes the way Shuuji does his hair so he does it too! And then later on, Shuuji tucks in his top like how Akira wants him to here...hee, Akira gets Shuuji's brother and father to do it, and then wraps his arms around Shuuji to do it for him, while Shuuji jumps and flails and tries to push him way. It doesn't work. ♥
But most of all, I love Akira because he's so touchy feely. :D He glomps onto Shuuji. Hee. Shuuji flails and then tries to push him away, but even so, he knows it's futile and lets Akira glomp onto him. He does a good half-tackle too. ♥ It's so adorable.
Oh, and that scene where they try to teach Nobuta how to act on a date is just brilliant. Shuuji acts as Nobuta and is so awesomely girly. He flutters his eyelashes, he sits with his hands clasped and his head tilted flirtatiously, while Akira sort of flails around, pretending to be the guy who's taking her out on a date, and does these poses as they hold hands and try to act couple-y. Then...they make this hilarious kissy face at each other. ♥
Then...a teacher sees them and gets the wrong impression. Hee.
Nobuta broke my heart. She did, the poor thing. Seeing her getting picked on like that...seeing the past where she kept getting hurt... especially the flashback to a young Nobuta who called her step-father dad, only to have said father tell her he isn't her dad, he just married her mother. ;_;
And how she's trying to change her bleak outlook, how she wants to smile, so she keeps practising and practising, and then at the end when she finally does smile and laugh, and god, she looked so happy. *cue teary eyes* ;_;
I loved her awkwardness, the way she talked in that monotone voice. She was so adorably awkward, and I adored how she tugged at Shuuji's jacket to get his attention. ♥ She's so wise as well... Catherine was right: Nobuta did make Shuuji a better person. I loved her awkward, fast, stumbling walk-especially when she's running away from the guy who had a crush on her and later on, Shuuji, after the hug.
Akira's crush for her was so, so sweet and wonderful, and aw. When he held her hand to his cheek, when he threatened Shuuji casually to not pour water down during the whole 411 thing, and then later on, when he sees the picture of them hugging...yet, he puts Shuuji and Nobuta first in his heart, so he's not going to be selfish and break his friendship with them. Oh, Akira.
Another favourite scene was the one where Akira wants them to call him by his name...and they're like "..."
Shuuji: ...what is your first name anyway?
Akira: Akira SHOCK. *flails and slumps* ...My name is Akira.
Nobuta: AKIRA.
Shuuji: *jumps and turns to stare at Nobuta, grinning* She sounds mad; is this how you want to be called?
Then they proceed to teach Nobuta to say Akira's name normally. ♥
Shuuji: Nobuta, say my name.
Nobuta: Shuuji.
Shuuji: Okay, now say: Shuuji and Akira.
Nobuta: Shuuji and AKIRA.
Shuuji: *laughs*
Akira: ...
Hee.
I think this is the first time I don't have an OTP. The three of them are just so remarkably sweet together, and they care and love each other so much. I just...I just can't ship only two of them. I really can't. Not when the three of them are so... Yeah, I think I understand now how some people have OT3s. I used to be puzzled because I could only ever have OTPs, and having a third person felt weird, but now? Shuuji/Akira/Nobuta all the way. ♥
They are just so adorable...what with the shared dreams and all.
I have to admit, Gokusen 2 had more OTP vibes. It was pretty much Hayato/Ryu from the first episode onwards, and then the looks between them, that sort of tense, wistful longing... With Nobuta wo Produce, it was more like the budding of a really gorgeous, adorable friendship; with Gokusen 2, there was this sense of history and friendship.
I adore both series, but Nobuta wo Produce had a much better overall storyline and plot, where as Gokusen 2 was more episodic, although the characterisations were done wonderfully, I thought.
In other news, I've just noticed that I have officially (from early last month) had this journal for three years now. Three years and ongoing. Wow. I really didn't think it'd be that long.