Hanah
This review may contain spoilers
Palate Cleansing Millennial Coming of Age Story
So my headline probably seems like an incoherent jumble of words. Let me break them down:
Palate Cleansing: If you been watching a lot of shows that are filled with too much drama, this is a nice palate cleanser drama that removes those residual dregs. This is especially true if you do not watch many Jdoramas and have gotten too used to the story structures and plot devices from the dramas of other countries. Like Nagi itself, this drama provides a nice reset. Its themes of slow-living, mindfulness, personal discovery and community and the story used to discuss these themes feel like a breath of fresh air. Other nice things about this drama
- The story is well-told and circular in conclusion
- Good pacing with little to no drag
- Each character has his or her own story and almost no 1D villains. I say almost because there is one character who is stereotypical mean, gossipy coworker but the concept is so familiar that she becomes a necessary plot device.
- It's one of those happy, everyone-gets-along kind of stories
Millennial: Nagi, at 28 years old in 2019, is by definition a millennial and the challenges she and other characters go through represent what a lot of millennials are dealing with - unemployment, housing, mental health, parental expectations and Adulting. Which brings me to my last point
Coming of Age Story: given that Nagi has already been an adult for 8 years and is pretty responsible/self-sufficient, this one may seem off. But part of coming into adulthood is finding yourself and your values and passions and dealing with the people and society around you, which is Nagi's journey throughout this story. And Nagi is a millennial and most millennial's define becoming an adult around ago 30. So, yes, I would call this a coming of age = transitioning into adulthood story.
Aside from that, this is very heartwarming and entertaining slice-of-life. Nagi is a great character you really want to cheer on. Shinji is someone that more or less grows on you. I love the rest of the cast of characters and their diverse backgrounds and how they all come together and support one another. The acting is fantastic, particularly our main cast. The production is well-done too with quite meaningful use of specific above head shots and camera angles. The music is also used very well to reflect certain moods. There are these scenes where the music is quirky and upbeat and creates this positive and slightly zany vibe and the music is brought to a screeching halt and it's just so impactful.
Overall, this drama is about accepting yourself and truly observing and learning about the people and world around you to find your values in life.
Palate Cleansing: If you been watching a lot of shows that are filled with too much drama, this is a nice palate cleanser drama that removes those residual dregs. This is especially true if you do not watch many Jdoramas and have gotten too used to the story structures and plot devices from the dramas of other countries. Like Nagi itself, this drama provides a nice reset. Its themes of slow-living, mindfulness, personal discovery and community and the story used to discuss these themes feel like a breath of fresh air. Other nice things about this drama
- The story is well-told and circular in conclusion
- Good pacing with little to no drag
- Each character has his or her own story and almost no 1D villains. I say almost because there is one character who is stereotypical mean, gossipy coworker but the concept is so familiar that she becomes a necessary plot device.
- It's one of those happy, everyone-gets-along kind of stories
Millennial: Nagi, at 28 years old in 2019, is by definition a millennial and the challenges she and other characters go through represent what a lot of millennials are dealing with - unemployment, housing, mental health, parental expectations and Adulting. Which brings me to my last point
Coming of Age Story: given that Nagi has already been an adult for 8 years and is pretty responsible/self-sufficient, this one may seem off. But part of coming into adulthood is finding yourself and your values and passions and dealing with the people and society around you, which is Nagi's journey throughout this story. And Nagi is a millennial and most millennial's define becoming an adult around ago 30. So, yes, I would call this a coming of age = transitioning into adulthood story.
Aside from that, this is very heartwarming and entertaining slice-of-life. Nagi is a great character you really want to cheer on. Shinji is someone that more or less grows on you. I love the rest of the cast of characters and their diverse backgrounds and how they all come together and support one another. The acting is fantastic, particularly our main cast. The production is well-done too with quite meaningful use of specific above head shots and camera angles. The music is also used very well to reflect certain moods. There are these scenes where the music is quirky and upbeat and creates this positive and slightly zany vibe and the music is brought to a screeching halt and it's just so impactful.
Overall, this drama is about accepting yourself and truly observing and learning about the people and world around you to find your values in life.
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