SakuraPrincess
Dramaland
Sweet and Silly
It's funny thinking that it's been at least eight years since I first read the manga. It was actually the first shoujo manga I tried, and I loved it. So cute!
The movie captures quite a bit of the magic and silliness of the story, maybe a bit over the top at times, but I think that's okay.
Story: Somehow they managed to condense the story into 90 minutes convincingly. It's actually a fairly decent adaptation and that surprised me. Just enough was left in to keep the feel of the manga, but cut out the unimportant stuff, like Asami's crush on her brother and her manipulating Fumi, two things I never liked in the manga. Plus we didn't have to sit through a sports festival, so YAY!
Acting/Cast: Here's where the movie shines. Eight years ago I had no idea who Yuuki Furukawa or Suda Masaki were. Now I do, so I'm glad I didn't watch "High School Debut" in 2012, but only found it now. Because now I can fully appreciate how fun it is having these two amazing actors in this movie. Suda stole my heart as Fumi, a character I've always loved. He was absolutely darling, in so many ways, and only 18, so the enthusiasm he displayed is adorable. And Yuuki, despite the CRAZY hair, was great as Asaoka. They were both so lively here! Mizobata Junpei worked as Yoh, although it took a little while for me to settle into him playing the ML. He's a silly secondary character in "Buzzer Beat" with Yamapi so that took a bit of convincing for me to buy him as Yoh, but I really liked him in the end. And of course, Ono Ito as Haruna. She would have been 16 at the time and she worked really great in such an energetic and honest role.
Music: About average, honestly. Nothing really memorable, but not bad.
Rewatch Value: Since I'm a Suda Masaki fan to the core at this point, yes, I'll watch it again. And Yoh and Haruna are very cute together, once I overcame some of the absurd filming elements. I think it's probably a rewatch only for Sudacchi fans or folks who really loved the original manga, like me.
Overall: It's a fun film. Silly, very silly, but the manga is silly too, so it works. I was surprised to find an almost actual kiss at the end between Yoh and Haruna. I was expecting another flat board kiss as I call them, so this one was a pleasant surprise. If you like silly high school dramas, emphasis on silly, and are a fan of any of the actors, then this one is well worth the watch. Like I said, Suda was adorable. The hair, the smile, the clothes, all the feels. He's reason enough to watch "High School Debut."
The movie captures quite a bit of the magic and silliness of the story, maybe a bit over the top at times, but I think that's okay.
Story: Somehow they managed to condense the story into 90 minutes convincingly. It's actually a fairly decent adaptation and that surprised me. Just enough was left in to keep the feel of the manga, but cut out the unimportant stuff, like Asami's crush on her brother and her manipulating Fumi, two things I never liked in the manga. Plus we didn't have to sit through a sports festival, so YAY!
Acting/Cast: Here's where the movie shines. Eight years ago I had no idea who Yuuki Furukawa or Suda Masaki were. Now I do, so I'm glad I didn't watch "High School Debut" in 2012, but only found it now. Because now I can fully appreciate how fun it is having these two amazing actors in this movie. Suda stole my heart as Fumi, a character I've always loved. He was absolutely darling, in so many ways, and only 18, so the enthusiasm he displayed is adorable. And Yuuki, despite the CRAZY hair, was great as Asaoka. They were both so lively here! Mizobata Junpei worked as Yoh, although it took a little while for me to settle into him playing the ML. He's a silly secondary character in "Buzzer Beat" with Yamapi so that took a bit of convincing for me to buy him as Yoh, but I really liked him in the end. And of course, Ono Ito as Haruna. She would have been 16 at the time and she worked really great in such an energetic and honest role.
Music: About average, honestly. Nothing really memorable, but not bad.
Rewatch Value: Since I'm a Suda Masaki fan to the core at this point, yes, I'll watch it again. And Yoh and Haruna are very cute together, once I overcame some of the absurd filming elements. I think it's probably a rewatch only for Sudacchi fans or folks who really loved the original manga, like me.
Overall: It's a fun film. Silly, very silly, but the manga is silly too, so it works. I was surprised to find an almost actual kiss at the end between Yoh and Haruna. I was expecting another flat board kiss as I call them, so this one was a pleasant surprise. If you like silly high school dramas, emphasis on silly, and are a fan of any of the actors, then this one is well worth the watch. Like I said, Suda was adorable. The hair, the smile, the clothes, all the feels. He's reason enough to watch "High School Debut."
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