Warm and fuzzy atmosphere, it hurts a bit but in a good kind of way, oh and lots of pining
Soramame and Oto meet for the first time and as a watcher you instantly know they have a connection which only deepens as they get to know each other. Both of them are talented in different fields but what they have in common is that they aren't living up to their true potential yet. They can rely on each other and help each other tackle the various hurdles life throws at each of them.They banter with each other like siblings but at the same time you know they care for each other deeply. The mutual pining will tug at your heartstrings, it may become a bit frustrating at times but all in all their journey is quite plausible to me and I enjoyed it a lot.
It has to be said that the romance part of the series is not the main focus, each lead has a lot on their respective plate. If you're looking for a drama where there's an abundance of skinship or where the couple starts dating in the third episode or so, this drama might not be the right fit for you.
The atmosphere is what I love a lot about this drama. You get those warm and fuzzy feelings when they sit together at dusk (!) sharing what happened that day or to give the other a push in the right direction if they're stuck with something they're working on at the moment. The title of the series fits really well because a lot of the scenes take place in the quiet evenings when you can see the last sunrays of the day on their faces. The setting is very intimate and I liked the conversations they held.
The music underlines the cozy atmosphere, sometimes with a nice song and with the slow piano and strings version of said piece at other times - or no music at all which leaves the deepest impact. I already checked out Yorushika and put some of their songs on my playlists.
I'm by no means an acting expert but I think the cast did a very good job. They made me laugh and shed a few tears (which is not something that happens to me a lot when watching a drama) so in my opinion they accomplished their goal.
Rewatching a series is not something that I do frequently but I can safely say this one will be a candidate.
This has become one of my favorite romantic dramas from Japan. Most of the times there's a point at which I get bored but that was not the case here although I have to admit the ending was a bit drawn-out.
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Forgettable but not the worst KBL
Someone in the comment section a while ago (jokingly?) guessed that this was a commercial for a camping car and I don't think it was entirely wrong.The concept of the series wasn't extraordinary, but it could have been more enjoyable if the execution had been better. In my opinion the start was a bit weak but it got gradually better in the following episodes. Sadly this improvement didn't last until the end. In a few days I assume I will have forgotten most of it. I reckon if the most memorable thing in the series was a beautiful scenery with an enormous tree, something went wrong.
There's a mix between the present timeline and the time they spent in college. It's a pity that I liked the college scenes more, because there were only a few.
Unfortunately the actors had zero chemistry. I loathed the high five in 2gether but if this is the alternative... sigh.
Neither the characters nor their motivations were convincing to me.
Also, in my opinion it felt really empty in the present timeline (Covid?), mostly two or three people interacting. The house looks like it could be out of a catalogue but I guess it fits the resident.
The music doesn't seem bad considering I didn't notice it at all.
I think to me it started with a 5, then it got a bit better and in the end we're back to a 5.
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This review may contain spoilers
Unnecessary
The positive comments for this seem to be on the verge of 99 percent and I for one certainly don't get it. My fingers were itching to type something so here goes.Cliché after cliché, character A pines for character B who is totally oblivious for 8.5 episodes. But it wouldn't be a Japanese romcom/BL if B didn't suddenly realize A is the love of his life and he has to run after him.
Stupid cliffhangers with stupid resolutions in the next episode.
The acting was fine however I don't see the chemistry between the leads. A series about a relationship between a student and a policeman is not that usual, I'll give them that.
I thought Minato's Laundromat (S1) would be my least favorite Japanese BL of all time (of the ones that I finished), but whereas it was so frustrating that I was nearly moved to tears, Sugar Dog Life was just plain boring.
I guess I watched too many BLs because I truly don't think this series was necessary to produce at all. Didn't read the manga and for sure am not tempted to.
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