Notes
Enjoyable writing just because it was simple and geunine. I loved how everyone had a distinct speaking style, i.e., Asuka's groundedness, Ryo's enthusiasm, Tachibana's blunt humor, Tonomine's deadpans, etc. Everyone really hammed up their roles, and delivered whatever corniness was written for them. Way to make it work.
I loved it! A drama with a true serial feel, rather than episodic continuity. Each episode was an adventure in itself, making great use of all the iconic staples, like the "horror episode," the "vacation episode," the "contest episode," etc. I didn't even mind that the love story was stretched out until the end; it was great to see it develop through so many different situations.
It's so easy to like everyone in a comedy like this. Asuka turns the stock hero on his head by being so dang cutesy, and Ryo is a fresh-faced, no-nonsense heroine. The great thing is that they're just laid-back, nice people in general, to each other and others. I'm so tired of the saintly, demure heroine and the untouchable, stoic hero. Supporting party was every bit the wacky, quippy, hilarious bunch that one can only expect from a manga cast. I especially liked Tachibana (or maybe I just liked Sano Kazuma as him).
The "OMG, I'm an otomen, no one must know!" concept is pretty flimsy, but again, the cast just knew how to make it enjoyable.
Teetered with Moving, but didn't go there, thank god.
Only in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that wedding showdown, but it really happened! When Ryo grabbed Asuka's hand and all the students went crazy, I was cheering right along with them. Had me laughing with happiness, it did.
Standard, but tons of color and contrast reminiscent of
Hana Kimi.
As ending themes go, "Lover Soul" by Shibasaki Kou is definitely one of my favorites. The anime guitars and her low slur mesh together perfectly. BGM, forgettable.
This drama had the misfortune of following
Buzzer Beat in my watching schedule, and I say that because it's hard for any lead couple to follow the awesome chemistry that Yamapi and Keiko had. I was so glumly sure that Okada Masaki and Kaho would become just another tepid, half-hearted onscreen duo, but LO! I got genuine, well-acted, warm, fuzzy chemistry, ladies and gentlemen. Masaki was perfect as the pining hero, which is a rare character. He had eagerness, sincerity, and admiration in his eyes every time Kaho stepped on screen, and it just made me giddy. These two were a pleasant surprise.
Apple's Tier Ranking: 2nd
