Mahoro Ekimae Bangaichi is an ultra freaking brilliant drama. If it were to be classified according to genre, it's going to be slice-of-life plus chill wave, dead pan humor plus satire and even more satire drenched in some sort of crude humor. In the absence of chic overly polished elements with its unnervingly mundane settings and characters, and no over-promising story lines, this drama just lived up beyond what it describes itself and left viewers expecting. From a Shion Miura novel to a tv series, this probably is one of those film and serial adaptations that brought a book to life and gave a in-depth study of the characters. Since there is a limited amount of time (short length of episodes), Mahoro must create a simple and succinct yet moving story arc for each episode. There is an attention to details and brevity that makes Mahoro a pleasure to watch. In other words there is no nonsense scenes that you just want to skip because every minute counts. Most people will probably want to watch this for the Eita + Matsuda Ryuhei combination, but the humor and the way the drama is filmed is like the cherry on top. I also love the two main characters who are anything but your typical male leads in jdramas. Lines reflect minimalism. Words are mostly minimal and normal to very dumb sounding conversations that are kept to simple tiny bits of phrases then later on becomes philosophical thoughts and rhetoric questions thrust into the end or in between these seemingly mundane and meaningless conversations and BAM that’s when it hits you hard on the head and in the heart. This also the point where you as a viewer have something similar to a character and then you start to review your life choices and principles in life. In addition, It contains an exploration of the micro socio-economic structures as a work of fiction that highly reflects reality but is never cliched like telenovela but more relevant to real life moral issues and the cause and effects of society. Mahoro is a very laid-back, simple story of two guys–Gyoten and Tada–who do various odd-jobs around their city. I love the ‘lazy’ feel that Mahoro has. This might sound weird but yeah, Mahoro has this lazy atmosphere which is also quite reflective of Gyoten and Tada’s way of life. Anyway, the first thing you may notice in Mahoro is the BROMANCE. Yes, it is awesome. And not just because it is Eita and Matsuda Ryuhei together. The thing I love about the bromance is that it is not forced into the drama. It is not there just for some obligatory swoony bromance. Instead Tada and Gyoten feel very natural when they are together and it goes unsaid that they have a really deep companionship and bond. Also the main selling point of the drama is NOT just that there is always eye candy with Eita and Matsuda Ryuhei on the screen. Instead the characters of Tada and Gyoten are very ordinary yet charming at the same time. At some point in Mahoro, I think you’ll begin to realize that it is way more than just bromance and humor. Mahoro is not only about shipping Tada and Gyoten, it’s not about the weird odd-jobs they do, but it's also about the people that Gyoten and Tada encounter. I guess what I’m trying to say is, Mahoro is not scared to show you things as they are. It’s not scared to go places that might even make you feel a bit uncomfortable. I like that the drama doesn’t sugarcoat anything and simply shows people as they are–flawed human beings. It exposes the dark sides of the characters but also makes sure to show their good sides. Pretty much none of the people that Tada and Gyoten encounter are people you would consider to be ‘admirable’ or ‘respectable’ but the drama always counters this by showing their redeeming quality and vulnerability. The main leads are brilliant, they were at their best in this drama, they simply shine. Both Eita and Matsuda. How they portrayed their characters, there isn't anyone else who could take the role. Although I'm Eita's fan since forever and love him the most, here Matsuda stole the show with his character of Gyoten, instantly became one of my favourite and dearest charactes ever. In the show, both Tada and Gyoten are quite similar because they both have a really mellow and laidback personality. They are just chilling and drifting through life. Probably the main difference is that Tada is the one that’s “in charge” and is more conscious about social graces whereas Gyoten is irresponsible and blunt, he is also a lot of fun to watch, not exactly impulsive but he is the kind of guy who doesn’t care about boundaries and is willing to take the initiative to do something. His straight-forwardness can come off as being outspoken in certain situations, but earnest in others. Gyoten is a really good balance with Tada because he can help Tada make quick decisions, and Tada can help keep him out of trouble. He can always turn a seemingly boring situation into a funny one. He still has this running joke of telling all his customers that he and Tada are a couple. The funny part is that he looks completely serious whenever he ‘jokes’ about it and the customers end up believing it. Simply he is outstanding and the most interesting nutty character ever. I liked all the content of this drama, it was refreshing not just because of the script and of the acting but as a whole cinematic masterpiece. The set were utilized as some sort of subliminal advert placement ala spot the hidden brand sponsor. It was not an annoying ad placement or corporate whoring but was more enjoyable to the viewers at the very least. Things like the clever foreshadowing, timing, and the proper use of mature content with props and all dignified the desperation and tensions in the story in a way never done before in Japanese TV. Even the tracks of the OST were superb pieces of music with lyrics drenched in pain and satire though presented in a funky or chill arrangements. The irony is fine in this one. Watch this drama if : - you want to see bromance, bromance, and more bromance between Gyoten (Matsuda Ryuhei) and Tada (Eita). - you're a fan of Eita & Matsuda Ryuhei (WHO WOULDN’T BE?) - you like quirky, eccentric dramas - you are ok with the bromance not being everything in the drama. For those of you who don’t quite like dramas that are too slow and serious, but still want quality without the sappiness, Mahoro might be for you. You may like this drama more if you like a sort of offbeat, quirky drama.