Ainori was the show I didn't know I was missing in my life.

If you like travel, romance, and drama, this is the show for you.

Don't be turned off by how staged the first episode may make everything seem. The commentators and the graphics make the show seem really overplayed, but the interactions between the participants themselves, and not to mention the delicious restaurants and beautiful sights they visit, are 100% real.

I've laughed and cried watching this, and I wish I could follow all the participants on instagram to keep up with their lives after the show.

One of my favorite aspects of the show that wasn't necessary but was definitely a nice touch was the attention they spent on the culture of each of the countries they visited. Participants often visit a local family or organization and learn not only about those peoples' lives, but about a crucial aspect of the culture in which they are visitors. It's endearing to see how the show treats its hosts, and also interesting from a non-Japanese perspective to see the little ways in which Japan is compared to, for example, Thailand.

If you have some time to binge watch and want to get some pointers for your next Southeast Asia trip while following budding romances, this is the show for you.

One last thing - I'd like to point out how the commentary on this show got it right. In Terrace House, for example, I often found myself skipping the commentary sections of the episodes as I found them to drag on or to be too off-focus. In Ainori, however, the commentary never lasts for more than a minute or two, and very rarely strays from the topic at hand. Big ups for that.

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This is my first review, which is fitting because this was the first Japanese drama I've ever watched. It's been two years since I watched this for the first time, and it still holds a spot in my heart. The story is unlike any other I'd ever seen. You follow two manzai (comedy) artists through their higher and lower points in fame, and you see an intricate, complicated relationship form between the two main characters. The music in this drama made it all the better, and I'm still struggling to find the end theme song so I can add it to my playlist. This drama is introspective, slightly inspiring, and emotionally stilting. I've seen a number of dramas in the years since I've seen this one, but this will always be my favorite.

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This drama is for sweets lover.

Each episode of this drama introduces a new (sometimes, multiple) sweets ships in the Tokyo area that the main character skips work to visit. While it's obvious that the storyline was built around his skipping work to eat sweets, having a storyline helps this not feel like a travel show, but rather, something entertaining that also introduces new dessert spots. The storyline is a little weak, but I've seen worse.

I made a google maps list of all of the dessert shops in this drama, and I plan on visiting as many as I can when I'm interning in Tokyo this summer.

This drama will renew your love for desserts and give you a few chuckles at not being as obsessed with desserts as Kantarou is.

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Perhaps it's fitting that people are most moved by the stories that most relate to them, but this story is easy to relate to for anyone who wishes they had someone special to spend their downtime with. Although I haven't read the manga or seen the earlier version of this drama, I was truly touched by this drama and found myself laughing and crying during almost every episode. A unique, touching story that leaves you wanting more. Although some of the side stories and interractions felt like filler or felt forced, the main story between the two main characters made it worth sticking around for. The ending could have so easily been ruined, but they did a good job.

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