Happy BISDAY, Jun! And another jdrama review
So, I said I wouldn't be watching any more dramas until the fall, but this one swept me off before I even realized what was going on. Netflix dramas seem to do that to me. Especially, if they have interesting plots and character stories. Not to mention this one was only 6 episodes long, so it was pretty easy to get into. I didn't know I needed this drama at the time, so it was a nice change of pace and reminded me of what I love about dramas so much. On to the review!
The title for this drama gives the plot away. It's another telling of "Freaky Friday", only there are different people involved and not those who are closely related. A popular teenager in high school gets switched with another student who is not so popular, and the new owner of her body has no intention of switching back. Ayumi, who was switched, has a suddenly new perspective of life of not being popular or pretty, and not just at school, either. Her close friends soon find out what happen to her and they try to help her win her body back.
I was immediately drawn to this drama because I really like Freaky Friday retellings. They force the character into new concepts and new perspectives, and they go through a big transformation as a person during their ordeal. And not just because they are in someone else's body. However, with this story, the switch didn't happen by fate or accident. This was intentional because someone coveted another person's life because they hated their own. In this case, it was understandable. Umine, who switched, did not have a happy life. She was overweight, did not know how to take care of herself, her mother treated her poorly and was always away at work, the other students at school bullied her over her looks, and she was alone all the time. Anyone would hate that kind of life. So, when the time was right, Umine picked her target and switched her life with Ayumi.
This drama targets what society portrays all too often. The message is clear and anyone watching can pick up where the moral of the story lies. It has something the watcher can take with them once they reach the ending. People are so ridden with jealousy and greed that they will do anything to get what they want.
As for the story, it will keep you guessing and glued to the screen. They added something new to the mix and created a whole back story to the switching phenomenon that has happened more than once to different people. It portrayed how people truly are disliking the way their own lives are and wished they lived as someone else. The pacing of each episode was good, too. They derived from the typical 45-50 minute episode that most dramas do and kept them around 30-35 minutes. Good binge watching pace, if I do say so myself. The last episode, however, was rushed and I hate it when dramas do this. It was probably the only thing that annoyed me about this drama, but everything else I loved! I know they were trying to be quick and wrap things up, but I think that can be done in different ways. It wouldn't matter to me if the drama had to be extended by 3 or 4 episodes. I would've loved that! More drama to watch! Also, there were some points depicted that I wish they would have expressed on. Although, I think if that were to happen, then the drama would soon turn into a comedy! I just wish I could've seen how the characters coped with some of the new viewpoints of their lives at this turn in the plot.
As for the main characters, I loved all four of them! For different reasons. Even though Ayumi was one of the popular girls at school, she was not the typical popular girl. She wasn't a snob or treated other people badly because she either had a reputation to uphold or made them feel inferior to her. She was genuinely kind to others and had a really sweet personality. In the beginning she actually wanted to help Umine, but Umine would not allow her to. As for Ayumi's friends, Kaga and Koushirou, they were the embodiments of any two best friends anyone could ever have. They were also the best visual representation of Rin and Yukio Okumura from Blue Exorcist. Seriously, they were Rin and Yukio in real life. If anyone knows the manga or has seen the anime, you would know what I mean here! I think those personalities seem to have to be in every drama though. Two potential love interests: one is reserved, super studious and always serious, while the other is more hot-headed and gets stuck with second-lead syndrome. Why are they everywhere?? But I loved these guys to death, espeically Kaga. Poor guy. Also, I realized they were played by Shigeoka Daiki and Kamiyama Tomohiro from Johnny's West. I thought they looked familiar. I love how Netflix is starring more Johnny's over time. Come on, let's get some Arashi!
All in all, I really enjoyed this drama. It was one I looked froward to watching at the end of the day after coming home from work. Those don't happen often, and I wish they did. I also wish more dramas had the same clear cut message and moral behind them as this one did. They don't all have to be the same, but I wish more were like Switched. So, yes I would definitely watch this one again sometime in the future. I highly recommend this drama to anyone and not just to those who are Johnny's West fans!
I gave this drama a 9 out 10.
Phew, and that's it for the drama! I think it was good that I watched only one this session because I could invest in it more, and perhaps gave it the review that it deserved. I still don't know when I'm picking up dramas again before soon. At the time, I'm going through some books I want to read before their sequels come out in the next few months. So I'm a bit occupied with that. We'll see what happens. I might find another drama like Switched to get hooked into!
Also, a happy birthday to Jun! 35 is a ripe age. I like that number. :D I need to find other things to do today that are Jun related, because it's the only way I know how to celebrate. XD
The title for this drama gives the plot away. It's another telling of "Freaky Friday", only there are different people involved and not those who are closely related. A popular teenager in high school gets switched with another student who is not so popular, and the new owner of her body has no intention of switching back. Ayumi, who was switched, has a suddenly new perspective of life of not being popular or pretty, and not just at school, either. Her close friends soon find out what happen to her and they try to help her win her body back.
I was immediately drawn to this drama because I really like Freaky Friday retellings. They force the character into new concepts and new perspectives, and they go through a big transformation as a person during their ordeal. And not just because they are in someone else's body. However, with this story, the switch didn't happen by fate or accident. This was intentional because someone coveted another person's life because they hated their own. In this case, it was understandable. Umine, who switched, did not have a happy life. She was overweight, did not know how to take care of herself, her mother treated her poorly and was always away at work, the other students at school bullied her over her looks, and she was alone all the time. Anyone would hate that kind of life. So, when the time was right, Umine picked her target and switched her life with Ayumi.
This drama targets what society portrays all too often. The message is clear and anyone watching can pick up where the moral of the story lies. It has something the watcher can take with them once they reach the ending. People are so ridden with jealousy and greed that they will do anything to get what they want.
As for the story, it will keep you guessing and glued to the screen. They added something new to the mix and created a whole back story to the switching phenomenon that has happened more than once to different people. It portrayed how people truly are disliking the way their own lives are and wished they lived as someone else. The pacing of each episode was good, too. They derived from the typical 45-50 minute episode that most dramas do and kept them around 30-35 minutes. Good binge watching pace, if I do say so myself. The last episode, however, was rushed and I hate it when dramas do this. It was probably the only thing that annoyed me about this drama, but everything else I loved! I know they were trying to be quick and wrap things up, but I think that can be done in different ways. It wouldn't matter to me if the drama had to be extended by 3 or 4 episodes. I would've loved that! More drama to watch! Also, there were some points depicted that I wish they would have expressed on. Although, I think if that were to happen, then the drama would soon turn into a comedy! I just wish I could've seen how the characters coped with some of the new viewpoints of their lives at this turn in the plot.
As for the main characters, I loved all four of them! For different reasons. Even though Ayumi was one of the popular girls at school, she was not the typical popular girl. She wasn't a snob or treated other people badly because she either had a reputation to uphold or made them feel inferior to her. She was genuinely kind to others and had a really sweet personality. In the beginning she actually wanted to help Umine, but Umine would not allow her to. As for Ayumi's friends, Kaga and Koushirou, they were the embodiments of any two best friends anyone could ever have. They were also the best visual representation of Rin and Yukio Okumura from Blue Exorcist. Seriously, they were Rin and Yukio in real life. If anyone knows the manga or has seen the anime, you would know what I mean here! I think those personalities seem to have to be in every drama though. Two potential love interests: one is reserved, super studious and always serious, while the other is more hot-headed and gets stuck with second-lead syndrome. Why are they everywhere?? But I loved these guys to death, espeically Kaga. Poor guy. Also, I realized they were played by Shigeoka Daiki and Kamiyama Tomohiro from Johnny's West. I thought they looked familiar. I love how Netflix is starring more Johnny's over time. Come on, let's get some Arashi!
All in all, I really enjoyed this drama. It was one I looked froward to watching at the end of the day after coming home from work. Those don't happen often, and I wish they did. I also wish more dramas had the same clear cut message and moral behind them as this one did. They don't all have to be the same, but I wish more were like Switched. So, yes I would definitely watch this one again sometime in the future. I highly recommend this drama to anyone and not just to those who are Johnny's West fans!
I gave this drama a 9 out 10.
Phew, and that's it for the drama! I think it was good that I watched only one this session because I could invest in it more, and perhaps gave it the review that it deserved. I still don't know when I'm picking up dramas again before soon. At the time, I'm going through some books I want to read before their sequels come out in the next few months. So I'm a bit occupied with that. We'll see what happens. I might find another drama like Switched to get hooked into!
Also, a happy birthday to Jun! 35 is a ripe age. I like that number. :D I need to find other things to do today that are Jun related, because it's the only way I know how to celebrate. XD