Year: 2013
Language: Japanese
Episodes: 16
Romantic-Comedy, School
Image Credit: Amazon Japan
Synopsis:
Kotoko, a not-so-smart girl, finally confesses her love to campus hearththrob and genius Naoki Irie. Unfortunately, Naoki coldly rejects her and tells her he doesn't like dumb girls. As she tries to move on, Kotoko's new home is destroyed by a meteor. With nowhere to live, she and her father moves into the home of the latter's bestfriend. However, to Kotoko's horror, she learns that Naoki is the eldest son of the family. Living with Naoki makes it harder for Kotoko to forget him. She quickly realizes that she still loves him and is determined to do everything to win his heart.
Cheerfulnuts' Review:
I'm now officially a fan of Itazura na Kiss: Love in Tokyo! I love this Japanese drama to pieces! It's loaded with fun and surprises! I have watched the 1996 Japanese adaptation and wondered what could possibly make the 2013 version stand out. Well, after completing the series, I can say that it has surpassed the original version. Let me explain why.
I have greatly enjoyed the 1996 version. But 9 episodes are not enough to show how the cold Irie-kun would finally fall for the not-so-smart Kotoko. I'm glad that the 2013 version has successfully filled in the missing holes. Itazura na Kiss: Love in Tokyo stars Honoka Miki and Yuki Furukawa, both of them whom I've never seen before. Furukawa may not be as good-looking as Takashi Kashiwabara in my opinion, but his portrayal of Irie-kun is quite different. He is equally cold, but we get to see how he softens up to Kotoko in each episode, which is exactly what I want to see in this series! Miki is not as experienced as actress Sato Aiko, but her Kotoko is cuter and more girly. A lot of viewers who have criticized Aiko's Kotoko find Miki more lovable and less annoying. I don't dislike Aiko's portrayal, though I can see why many people are annoyed. I kind of missed her though, so I appreciate the drama's casting an actress with big ears like Aiko's!
Naoki's rival, Ikezawa Kinnosuke, is played by Yamada Yuki. He has more screen time in this version compared to the original one. Honestly, I think he did a good job in portraying Kin-chan. He's goofy, funny, and mushy. So much like the Kin-chan I knew.
The older version is more funny than romantic, while Love in Tokyo is both funny AND sweet. There are love triangles and yes, we get to see a jealous Irie-kun! Though Naoki's jealousy is very subtle, it makes me jump for joy when he's secretly getting jealous. It's fun to see him falling for Kotoko.
I'd like to point out that the acting is kind of raw. Thankfully, the drama doesn't need superb acting skills to deliver its message. To me, the message isn't about a girl confessing her feelings to her love interest. It's not exactly about winning a guy's heart either. It's about being optimistic and cheerful, being true to yourself, and loving someone despite his/her flaws. I'm really learning a lot from this drama, especially from Kotoko. I love her. She is naive and isn't good at anything, but I'd love to have her guts and her cheerfulness!
Needless to say, this drama caters to young audiences, especially females. The good thing is it doesn't contain all the negative elements that you'll find in a typical teeny-bopper show. This is something that I wouldn't worry my own children watching. If you want a fun, entertaining, and sweet drama that isn't shallow, this will definitely make the list.
Note: If you haven't seen the 1996 adaptation, I highly recommend you to watch it FIRST. It will make you appreciate Love in Tokyo more!
I have greatly enjoyed the 1996 version. But 9 episodes are not enough to show how the cold Irie-kun would finally fall for the not-so-smart Kotoko. I'm glad that the 2013 version has successfully filled in the missing holes. Itazura na Kiss: Love in Tokyo stars Honoka Miki and Yuki Furukawa, both of them whom I've never seen before. Furukawa may not be as good-looking as Takashi Kashiwabara in my opinion, but his portrayal of Irie-kun is quite different. He is equally cold, but we get to see how he softens up to Kotoko in each episode, which is exactly what I want to see in this series! Miki is not as experienced as actress Sato Aiko, but her Kotoko is cuter and more girly. A lot of viewers who have criticized Aiko's Kotoko find Miki more lovable and less annoying. I don't dislike Aiko's portrayal, though I can see why many people are annoyed. I kind of missed her though, so I appreciate the drama's casting an actress with big ears like Aiko's!
Naoki's rival, Ikezawa Kinnosuke, is played by Yamada Yuki. He has more screen time in this version compared to the original one. Honestly, I think he did a good job in portraying Kin-chan. He's goofy, funny, and mushy. So much like the Kin-chan I knew.
The older version is more funny than romantic, while Love in Tokyo is both funny AND sweet. There are love triangles and yes, we get to see a jealous Irie-kun! Though Naoki's jealousy is very subtle, it makes me jump for joy when he's secretly getting jealous. It's fun to see him falling for Kotoko.
I'd like to point out that the acting is kind of raw. Thankfully, the drama doesn't need superb acting skills to deliver its message. To me, the message isn't about a girl confessing her feelings to her love interest. It's not exactly about winning a guy's heart either. It's about being optimistic and cheerful, being true to yourself, and loving someone despite his/her flaws. I'm really learning a lot from this drama, especially from Kotoko. I love her. She is naive and isn't good at anything, but I'd love to have her guts and her cheerfulness!
Needless to say, this drama caters to young audiences, especially females. The good thing is it doesn't contain all the negative elements that you'll find in a typical teeny-bopper show. This is something that I wouldn't worry my own children watching. If you want a fun, entertaining, and sweet drama that isn't shallow, this will definitely make the list.
Note: If you haven't seen the 1996 adaptation, I highly recommend you to watch it FIRST. It will make you appreciate Love in Tokyo more!
Cheerfulnuts' Verdict:
 |
| 10 out of 10 stars |
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