Jitenshaya-san no Takahashi-kun (2022)

A cute love story with no drama

Jitenshaya-san no Takahashi-kun is a soft romance drama that you could watch it to relax. The drama is rather small, approximately 25 minutes per episode, and someone could watch it in just one sitting.... like me. What we learn in the drama is that you can't judge a book by it's cover.

CHARACTERS / PLOT
In the series we follow the life of Ryohei and Tomoko which seem to be total opposites, and we understand how they develop their relationship. In one hand, we have Ryohei who is working at a bicycle repair shop. His rough looks, piercings, tattoos, dyed hair, and the fact that he always speaks his mind, make people around him to think that he is a scary person but in reality he is a rather soft hearted that pays attention and cares for the people around him. On the other hand, we have Tomoko, a 30 year old woman who is working in a toxic environment with an a**hole boss. She is shy and rarely turns other people down; and due to that, she gets to do things that she doesn't want to do.

Moreover, we have Koki who is working at the same company as Tomoko and at first he courts her and asks her out. Koki has a bright personality, is the same age as Tomoko and both him and Tomoko come from Tokyo - which Koki uses as an excuse to get closer with her. Moreover, in the same company we have Sato, who is Tomoko's best friend and always has her back when they have to deal with their toxic boss. Furthermore, we see Masaya and Teruyuki who are friends of Ryohei.

The storyline is rather simple with no major drama in it. At first I was afraid that they would follow the following story path: Tomoko and Ryohei get together --> people are saying that Tomoko should break up with Ryohei because he is a deliquent --> Tomoko breaks up with Ryohei --> crying --> they back together.

Thankfully I was wrong. They showed us how the protagonist got in a relationship - and if I may add, I want to say healthy relationship (because Ryohei didn't pressure Tomoko on having s*x for the first time) - and we follow their lives around their relationship. We see how both of them grow in their own way and how they overcome their problems.


ACTING
I enjoyed everyone's acting in the series. In the past I have watched other drama with Suzuki Nobuyuki (Ryohei) and Uchida Rio (Tomoko) and I have to admit that they keep up the good work and deliver their roles in a splendid way. Moreover, the support actors didn't have anything to lose from the main actors. Everyone in the series did a very good job and the overall outcome was amazing.

MY OPINION
Maybe something that bothered me, was the fact that we didn't get closure on some topics. For instance, why did Ryohei have such a love-hate relationship with the old man (which I assume is his granddad)? Even though we saw Ryohei's father I am not sure if they ever resolved their problems. If not, why didn't they invest more in their relationship? I would have liked it better if they also provided us some further background information for these stuff. Because in the series we see Ryohei expressing himself towards these two people in a rather aggressive behaviour but I am not so sure why.

This is a spoiler, but what I really liked is that by the end of the series Koki admits to his grandmother that he might be gay and after the grandmother said something old fashioned ("I know a good doctor that can cure you"), we see that Koki explains to his grandmother what he truly feels and that he maybe cannot fulfil her wish to see great-grandchildren. I really liked this part because Koki in the end decided to be true to himself and to his grandmother and he came out of the closet and in the end his grandmother understood.

As I said before, it is a rather small drama that could be watched in one day. If you ever have the need to watch something fluffy and no complex this is a good drama to do so :)

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Heartwarming and Sweet

Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25

There's nothing ground-breaking about this short drama. But, it makes me happy and I enjoy following along the sweet romance of the leads. The first episode, to me, isn't the best as there are things that I didn't like. But as we get to know the characters, I start to like them more and more. FL is the typical quiet and submissive Japanese character, which I dislike. However, I'm glad to see her change for the better after meeting ML. Opposite attracts is one of my favorite tropes and the drama did a pretty good job here. The leads have very different personalities, but they influence each other and their characters grow.

There are sad and heartwarming moments. A couple work harassment scenes that make me want to punch someone in the face. These scenes happen all too often in Asian dramas that they are not surprising anymore. Nevertheless, they are not easy to watch. We also get a glimpse of the leads family background and upbringing, esp. the female lead, and get a sense of why she is who she is. If you are a dog lover, you would love the big and fluffy white dog. I am not a pet person and I want to pet and hug this cute fluffiness!

If you are looking for a quick and easy watch, this is a good option. Oh and it has a couple good (non-fish) kisses.

Completed: 1/27/2023

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Fake Rebel & The Doormat

Characters like these are something I have trouble watching since I find them annoying and irritating!
First and foremost, this is a noona romance between a shy office worker and a bike repairman!
She is someone who just cannot say no, someone with a very low self esteem and therefore she lets everyone walk all over her, especially in the office which is rife with harassment! So basically, she is a doormat!
He has bleached his bangs, swags around and is outspoken but really very kind and nice. People judge him by his looks and consider him a delinquent and a looser! But he is a Fake Rebel!
They meet, fall in love and his attitude shakes her to stand up for herself. So she does! And they live happily ever after! The end!
The story is short, nice, no toxicity, a piece of fluff. But to me, everything looked too fake, OTT and unconvincing! There is nothing particularly wrong with it but is so cliché and nothing is new! Moreover, the main leads lack chemistry, they both grimace a lot. There were a lot of side characters I wished to find more about: his grandfather (spending his days silent and drinking himself to stupor every night!), his friends, her brother. I guess the series is too short for that but I feel some of the depth is missing!
Music is bad! I do not think I'll ever rewatch this though it is a relatively nice, stress free single watch!

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A short but sweet journey through love, laughter, and life's simple joys

If there's ever been a drama that feels like a comforting chat with an old friend, "Jitenshaya-san no Takahashi-kun" takes the crown. In just eight short episodes, this hidden gem manages to weave a tale that's as heartwarming as it is surprisingly profound.

Picture this: a heart of gold, Takahashi Ryohei, runs a bicycle shop, and his unexpected connection with the shy office worker, Hanno Tomoko, becomes the center of this enchanting story. The chat-style narrative lets us peek into their lives in a way that feels remarkably personal. It's like being let in on a secret, where each episode unfolds like a shared smile or a comforting nod after a long day.

The dynamics between Ryohei and Tomoko are not just well-played; they're like watching real people navigate the quirks of life. And can we talk about the bicycle shop? It's not just a backdrop; it's a character itself. It's where laughter echoes, where gears click, and where love takes its time to blossom.

It's like the drama keeps a few cards up its sleeve, revealing just enough to keep you intrigued. At first, I was a bit miffed about the mystery surrounding why Ryohei loves Tomoko, but the gradual unfolding of their connection felt like a delightful puzzle coming together.

The beauty of this drama lies in its straight forwardness. No unnecessary fillers or dragging plotlines; it knows when to pedal forward. The chat format feels like you're flipping through the pages of a storybook, each message revealing a new facet of these characters' lives.

And oh, the side characters! They're not just extras; they're like friends who pop in for a cup of tea. Their stories add depth to the narrative without stealing the spotlight from our beloved leads.

This drama is a testament to the fact that a drama doesn't need dozens of episodes to make a lasting impression. It's like a cozy chat that leaves you smiling, reflecting on the genuine connections that make life beautiful.

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I thought this would be one of those decent Noona romances the Japanese are usually adept at producing, but this isn’t the case with this drama. I would say that it was lackluster at best and uninspired at its worst.

First, there was the unconvincing romance between two leads who were more awkward with each other than being comfortable. One has that stiff upper bang, and the other with round fish-eyes who seem to be surprised that some people could be nice because she’s been dealing with lechers at her work place all day, when there’s really only one in particular. Tomoko goes along with the flow, and somehow accepts that this guy Ryohei, who did not seem so interested in getting into her pants, but actually is, but was just not so obvious about it. She could not have fathomed that this guy, who seems to be a “dumb delinquent,” could actually be harmless.

Then suddenly, Ryohei appears everywhere she is, from meeting her friends to meeting her parents. And even claiming to be so-called “friends” with the guy who had been trying to date Tomoko? That was really a stretch for me, especially when he did not even have the decency to leave when Koki was trying to have a personal conversation with his grandmother. Isn’t he just being nosy or oblivious? Then the revelation that came out of the left field, as if the writers could not come up with a convincing excuse to write him out of the love equation.  

Anyway, I thought the drama could have been better with more developed characters and conflicts, but I understand it may have been limited by time and length. They could have just focused on one or two issues instead of trying to tackle so many things in one already-short show. It’s like trying to make a salad with 10 different things but not mixing it well. I’m pretty sure 3 or 4 ingredients would have been enough, and the same applies here.

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I hope more people pick up on this beautiful slice-of-life drama.

I was pleasantly surprised with this Jdrama so I rated it a 10/10. It's a simple slice of life story that holds a ton of meaning. I've never seen the male lead in other dramas before, but his acting was realistic and I loved the leads' chemistry. All of the characters, even the side characters, have heartwarming stories. Despite showing a few serious themes, it does so in a light-hearted manner that is not too heavy for the watcher. Even if it only had 25 minutes per episode, it imparted so many life lessons such as staying true to yourself, caring for your family and pets, voicing out your opinions, and never judging a book by its cover. I wish this drama becomes more popular because it's really worth the watch. I wish I could find more dramas like this.

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