It's been awhile since I have last done a Japanese drama review and this time I'm reviewing yet again another drama starring Yamapi. Since I have reviewed all his other dramas from when I first started this blog, I thought why not let the tradition continue? lol. But this time it'll be a little different because I'll actually be doing a FULL drama review whereas in the past I have only done episode reviews of just my highlights of the first few episodes and random thoughts as I was still watching the drama. This time I decided to wait until I finish watching all the episodes before I do a full review on the drama.
And because this drama is actually too good to not write a review on. It has been one of the BEST Yamapi dramas I have seen in years since Nobuta wo Produce which was the drama that got to become a Yamapi fan. I am beyond impressed with Yamapi's acting in this drama and I'm so glad that he took on such a challenging role. He proved that he can be a better actor and this is the first time I ever felt that I'm watching a Yamapi drama where I actually enjoy and anticipate to watch the next episode because I'm curious to know what will happen. To be honest, his past dramas such as Ending Planner, Monster, SUMMER NUDE had rather plain story plots and his characters are more or less the same that they didn't interest me and the only reason why I was still watching them was because Yamapi was in it and I just wanted to stare at his pretty face, lol.
But this drama is different! Everything about it is superb. The drama script, the story line, the actors in it, the acting and everything is just amazing! And it's the first time I felt in years that I'm actually watching Yamapi act in a character role and not as himself. Yamapi has always been known as the actor with an expressionless face or what the fandom calls "dead fish eye" in which he shows no expressions through his eyes. But in this drama he's different. He shows expressions through his eyes and he also shows so much more expressions that I have never seen him act before. I think the problem with his character roles in his past dramas is that they are too similar to his real personality. Yamapi has also mentioned many times in TV interviews that he's a very boring person in real life and I agree, LOL! So it is only when he is given a character that is complete opposite of himself that he can fully study the character and find ways to act it out and make it more three dimensional. And I know for a fact that Yamapi's true passion isn't in acting, it's singing and music. So perhaps that's why he didn't put too much thought in his past character roles.
Drama synopsis: Shiratori Sakuto is 28, but has the intelligence of a 6-year-old boy. He works for Dream Flower Service, a flower distribution centre which provides employment for problem youth. Sakuto's father passed away when he was only 15 and he was left behind for care by the owner of the Dreams Flower Service who is a great friend of his father. His father and him separated from his mother and younger sister because Sakuto's mother could not accept a mentally disabled son as she hate stupid kids and Sakuto has not seen his mother since then. One day, he and a colleague, Yanagawa Ryuichi, delivers a rose bouquet to the apartment building where Mochizuki Haruka lives and who Sakuto later have romantic feelings for. Haruka works for a brain physiology research centre where Professor Hachisuka Daigo has been studying the improvement of mental performance. He has succeeded in lab experiments on a white mouse called Algernon. Sakuto meets Algernon by chance and because of this coincidence Sakuto is chosen as a patient to undergo surgery and transformed to become a genius. Sakuto has always had a dream of becoming smarter because he wishes to see his mother again and be liked by her. But the super intelligent transformation of Sakuto did not seem to make life better for him as he has imagined it would but instead he goes through some major life changes of experiencing pain and sorrow.
Before the air of this drama, there has been critics online of people doubting Yamapi's capability to take on such a challenging role and make it believable given his past acting and drama history and I can say he proved these people wrong. Surely, even I as a fan myself for almost 10 years didn't expect his acting to turn out to what it was. Yamapi really poured out his heart to act this role and he worked hard and put many thoughts into it that he even visited a facility of the mentally disabled to spend time with them to help prepare for his role. So yes, Yamapi may not be known as a great actor, but I feel like some people should just let go of their hate/dislike for him and watch how well he can perform this role as it really is a very great and touching drama with an inspirational message.
Okay, enough of my rambles, let's get on to the review. I'm doing a review based on my favourite scenes from the drama and my thoughts on them.
Note: This review may contain spoilers for the drama, read at your own discreet.
This is the scene of Sakuto meeting Haruka for the very first time when he delivers a bouquet of flowers to her apartment. I just find it soooooo cute how Sakuto was peeking through the eye hole on the door. So silly and adorable like something a 6 year old child would do! XD