Minor spoilers ahead. Don’t say you weren’t warned.
Well, that’s that. The usual last-episode dash through half a year to the end of the story came as no surprise. And I give a big tick to any series brave enough to start any scene with someone exclaiming “Iraq?!” in an unashamed attempt at getting yet more distance between our unrequited friends. Sure. Send him to Iraq. Why not? He’ll be back after a montage or two.
What was disappointing was that Peach, who’d pretty much sorted herself out by episode nine, hardly appears at all in the series finale.
What really struck me was that, only weeks after I wrote about The Boys in the Band as a curious seventies throwback, this series gives us another storyline of the gay man as “noble yet defeated”, as if he is not allowed to have a happy ending. As for Doctor’s infatuation with Haru, that petered out in a far too understanding way. I mean, he didn’t even sulk or anything.
The show ends with Eita and Juri holding hands as they run across a bridge towards their regular bar. At least they didn’t end up being brother and sister. That particular sub-plot was done away with almost as an afterthought, when Nakaji’s dad asks Haru’s mum if he was her daughter’s father. She said no. That was it. As far as economic writing goes, you’d be hard pushed to find anything more abrupt, but at least it didn’t waste any more time on an idea that had already fallen by the wayside. Plus, it meant I was spared the humiliation of choosing to watch a drama that used a plot line that hasn’t been considered clever or surprising since Ancient Greece.
But, yeah. Not bad. Ho hum.
Wait, I meant to ask before...
ReplyDeletewhat happened to Haru's junkie bro? and the student who wanted to get her hooked. Too many storylines.
I had so many issues with the series. First, I thought it was cliche for Eri Watanabe to be the "not so attractive" boss who was taking advantages of her male employees. I thought a switch between her and Nakaji's married girlfriend would have been interesting to see if male workers would feel as conflicted to have an "attractive" boss taking advantage. Plus, in that scenario, Linda's refusal to do so would be more interesting and perhaps show his homosexual feelings better.
I also wanted a switch between Haru and Nakaji, since having Haru being a... how do you call it? Pinku photographer? would be more interesting than having Nakaji being the sensitive type who wouldn't enjoy photographing semi-naked women.
Also! LOL Haru and Peach had more chemistry than Haru ended up having with Nakaji. I still think he (as much as I like Eita) just needed to end up alone. And Linda ending up with Doctor - I mean, I don't remember any Doctor towards Linda feelings, but I saw a bit of Linda towards Doctor.
Rant over. xD
The schoolkid? No idea. But her younger brother, apparently relapsed and started doing drugs again. We know this because she mentioned it in a voice-over to a montage.
ReplyDeleteAnd the unreasonable boss who was sexually harassing Linda? It turns out she really loved him.
So there was an awful lot going on, most of which didn't matter in the long run. But I like the idea of Nakaji liking his work in saucy magazines rather than being a tortured artist who wanted to take pictures of sunsets. It would've been more realistic at least.