I understand that this might not be to everyone's taste, so if you're looking for a Rom-Com or something light I suggest you watch something else.
On the other hand, even if it is titled as tragedy it's not THAT tragic in my opinion. Okay, maybe a little tragic, too, but not everyone-dies-in-the-end-tragic.
This show surprised me from the start, taking a direction I didn't expect, really making me wonder where we were going.
After watching the last episode I can say that the whole story was very well thought-out and in the end everything made sense.
It did a very good job at surprising once more in the end, when I already thought I had it all figured out.
I also realy liked the dark mood and the tension, especially in conversations between Mako/Satsuki and the detective.
Both Takei Emi and Kiritani Kenta did an awesome job. I have seen Takei Emi several times before, but each time it feels like a completely different character. This time she managed to play two characters at the same time in such a way that the audience is always able to tell the twins apart even when the line starts to blur.
Lastly, I set the rewatch value very low, because it's the kind of drama that won't be as interesting anymore if you know what will happen. It's the surprises that are catchy, but you won't be surprised the second time round.
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There are a few slow bits here and there but everything else makes up for it ! Very good cast, you really sympathize with both Mako and Satsuki... Takei Emi does an outstanding job portraying them. I really like the intensity Kiritani Kenta brings to his character to.
The music is also really good, it enlightens the melancholy atmosphere throughout the drama ! I'm not that good at reviews but hope this encourages anyone reading to watch this drama :)
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I feel like maybe some people are missing the whole point of the drama. I thought it was great because the end really tied in the whole theme of the show. They added more characters to the show than the original story and I think that just added so much more impact to the show when I think about it. The theme is implied in the title, "The Tragedy of Women" Each of the characters (the women) showcase this tragedy. I think that the point was to see how these women's tragedies and suppression. Most people would think to take these women's stories straightforward but the drama shows how complicated the women's lives are. Just my thoughts... I want to read and watch the original now to relate it more to the author's intent.
ACTING/CAST: I don't know too much about acting but I thought the characters were put together in this drama well enough. I liked the way Takei Emi was able to play both characters well enough that even though they are the same person, you can tell them apart because they give off different auras, I mean to say that one is filled with hate and anger while the other is more innocent and naive. It is even more interesting to see how she has to act like the person acting like the other person.
The people at the place where Satsuki works are pretty scary too..
MUSIC: I love the music in this drama. I like how they made a remake of the original W no Higeki song from the original movie. It captured the feel of the recent drama well. I love orchestra and string instruments so the music was very moving. Hirai Ken's Kokuhaku is also really catchy and fits the mischievousness and mystery of the characters as well.
REWATCH VALUE: The way the people talk and the constant movement in the story keeps it interesting and great for me to be able to rewatch as I study Japanese.
I want to give it all tens but I am trying my best to give my most accurate rating.
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A lot of people have been saying that it is a dorama that:
- Has been one of the best in a long time
or
- Has been the best dorama of the season (AKA Spring 2012).
I thoroughly disagree and will say why.
The dorama began with the potential to be really amazing and could've become a total 'blow your mind with tricks' dorama, but it didn't. It fell to a mediocre standard that was ultimately predictable, which a lot of people have said "O the ending it totally not predictable!". Yeah it might not be 100% predictable but it's end is not exactly a 'OMG THIS DORAMA IS GENIUS!' ending, it was more of a 'O that happen? Meh, don't care' kinda ending, for me at least.
Let's go to categories.
STORY:
As said previously, it set out to have become a potentially amazing dorama(or maybe I expected too much as I've seen quite a few doramas that have left me heartbroken and totally mind blown - thank you JDoramas, you are me life! anyways...) but shortly fell flat. The story was predictable. Not straight away, but you could've guessed what was going on quite a bit before it/all was revealed.
So yeah that's why it gets a 6 from me, had potential but didn't reach that potential. The dorama is from a book so they pretty much had to go by the book ne? haha
ACTING/CAST:
Yes another low number and another 6.
The cast is great. You have well known actresses and actors; Takei Emi, Kiritani Kenta, Terada Minori, Gouriki Ayame, Takahashi Issei, Fukuda Saki, Takeda Kouhei, the list goes on, but I feel that none of them were really challenged in these roles. I think the only challenge was for Takei Emi really, having to play two different types of people. So I feel like the lack of challenge, really made them all look like they were doing mediocre acting.
Takei Emi: Like I said, seems to be the only one challenged and there were time when you could the difference between her two characters but besides that, I honestly think her acting went down in this dorama =/ Sorry to Takei fans, she is gorgeous and all but I feel her acting dropped in this dorama.
Kiritani Kenta: Very sexy in it! It would've been nice to have him get more screen-time and let the audience understand where his character is coming from.
All the other actors/actresses were the same: not very challenging roles, and seemed like mediocre acting because they weren't given a challenge, nor enough screentime, nor able to show who their character was or be given character development.
MUSIC: The ending theme song is pretty good actually and the music in Mascaraed is catchy but I can't really remember the rest of the music. Hence a 6!
REWATCH VALUE: The only reason I would want to watch this again would be to drool over Kiritani Kenta but he doesn't get enough screentime so the chance of me rewatching it is practically 0%.
OVERALL: In my opinion, W no Higeki was not an amazing dorama, was not the best dorama of the season, was not the best dorama in a long time and was very predictable, partially boring, had an unsatisfactory ending and is the ONLY JDorama I've NEVER cried at.
The best part of the whole dorama? Seeing a sexy Kiritani Kenta and maybe the ending song and how well Terada san did playing a creepy old grandad. Saki's acting was at it's worse although I feel Gouriki's had improved slightly. Takei Emi's acting fell too.
Hence my 6/10. Sorry if I broke anyone's hearts!
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