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dangermousieFirst of all, yes, it's still every bit as awesome as I remember it.
And yup, Halu is still sex on legs (though seriously, I never understood the phrase. After all, most women don't find gentlemen lacking legs attractive :P). It's funny, he is so not my real-life type (the drama makes no bones he is a very difficult person) but in fiction...
*swoon*
I think it's the combination of that intensity (whatever he is doing, you get the sense, he is devoting 110% of his attention and energy to it) and that grin which transforms his whole face. Plus the whole thing where he is both a very competent person at what he does, and someone who clearly needs to be healed...mmmm, that's like girl catnip.
And Aki, still such a darling: capable and steady and strong-willed and yet a center of calm. No wonder Halu gloms onto her: he'd have to be insane not to.
Mmm, I've forgotten how pretty Yamato, the goalie is. *spaces out*
One of the things I love so about Pride is that, much as I adore Halu and Aki, with their lightning-quick give and take and chemistry and tenderness and adultness and complications, I also love almost every other character in this drama: Yamato is one of my favorite secondary characters in jdramas: he is just such a sweet person (with hideous trauma, of course) that I just melt. I have never adored his OTP, Yuri (though I do understand where she comes from and she totally was worth it, by the end), but I have always shipped them so hard because he wants her.
Tomo is total hilariousness and laid-backness as this playboy and Makoto is a total dork. I love that in Pride, friendships are just as important as love. Halu's friendships with the guys and Aki's friendship with her two girlfriends, Yuri and Chika (Tomo's OTP who is a rare portrayal of an 'easy' girl that is totally positive) are all important and flesh out all the parties in them. One of the reasons Yuri comes across as human despite her mercenary streak is that she is a good friend, whatever her limitations on dating non-rich guys.
You know who I don't love? Halu's old coach. Yeah, yeah, go ahead, tell the guy dating seriously is wrong when you are an athlete. WTF? I have no sympathy for him: he chose to drink himself to death, making life hell for his wife and little kid. I know Halu idolizes him (the scene where he realizes the man is dead is heartbreaking) but seriously...you are a failure as a person, coach! Not to mention, I don't think Halu needs a lesson on how to be self-sufficient. He is too closed-off and self-sufficient already. It's unhealthy, the way he is.
And that is why I love Aki and him together. When he pushes, she pushes back. Somehow, she gets past all the barriers and the closed-off gates. But he gets under her skin too. Their dynamic in this ep is like a ping-pong match which is almost too fast to watch: they tease, they irritate, they connect. They throw each other off-kilter: she out of her comfortable, emotionally barren and safe existence (I think she is 'waiting' for her boyfriend not because she loves or misses him anymore, but because it provides an excuse not to go out and get emotionally involved), he out of his emotionally closed-off world. See him go to her house after coach's death when he is feeling like hell both emotionally and physically (OMG, the deliciousness when he collapses on top of her. I love my h/c). It's instinctive on his part at that point: he doesn't even know her that very well. It always reminds me of that phrase of Lord Peter's to Harriet in 'Busman's Honeymoon': "you are my corner, I've come to hide." (Yeah, I just referenced Dorothy Sayers, whatever :P). You get the sense he is a little puzzled himself he is there (I bet that's the first time he ended at someone's place when he is unwell, he would normally just go home).
And of course, it's the right choice. Aki takes care of him, and it's comfortable and peaceful and soothing (physically and psychically), but she is not a swooning-ministering angel nor a push-over. She is capable and matter-of-fact. He cannot walk over her or push her around or tell her what to do (not that he would necessarily try to do so on purpose, but he is a very strong personality, and if someone isn't strong, the way Aki is, this might end up happening anyway). Also, Aki is gorgeous and very age-appropriate, but she is also very maternal, isn't she (without being ridiculously so). Which, once we find out his issues later, is a huge deal. She is steadying and reliable and true to her words. And Halu so keeps looking for that in women, even ones he is not romantically involved with in any way (like the coach's wife).
And when he offers Aki the temporary-dating deal, saying that it's a perfect match because she is waiting for a bf and he can't date anyone seriously, you can tell it's a rationalization for him: he wants to be around her, she makes him feel good, she makes him connect.
(Oh, how I love the bit when he says he never felt lonely, not even once. Of course, that's a ridiculously untrue thing to say for anyone. And the fact that he says it, especially since I know the whole story, is very very sad, and indicative of his mile-high walls even for the benefit of himself).
Ooooh, and the kissing on the eyelid. *dies*
Hmm, what else. I love the way Halu sleeps, blankets all the way to his chin. Awww.
Oh, and Halu is totally violent on ice, but I love how physically tender he is with Aki, even now. Such a contrast to the scummy bf (ooops, that's much later).
And yup, Halu is still sex on legs (though seriously, I never understood the phrase. After all, most women don't find gentlemen lacking legs attractive :P). It's funny, he is so not my real-life type (the drama makes no bones he is a very difficult person) but in fiction...
*swoon*
I think it's the combination of that intensity (whatever he is doing, you get the sense, he is devoting 110% of his attention and energy to it) and that grin which transforms his whole face. Plus the whole thing where he is both a very competent person at what he does, and someone who clearly needs to be healed...mmmm, that's like girl catnip.
And Aki, still such a darling: capable and steady and strong-willed and yet a center of calm. No wonder Halu gloms onto her: he'd have to be insane not to.
Mmm, I've forgotten how pretty Yamato, the goalie is. *spaces out*
One of the things I love so about Pride is that, much as I adore Halu and Aki, with their lightning-quick give and take and chemistry and tenderness and adultness and complications, I also love almost every other character in this drama: Yamato is one of my favorite secondary characters in jdramas: he is just such a sweet person (with hideous trauma, of course) that I just melt. I have never adored his OTP, Yuri (though I do understand where she comes from and she totally was worth it, by the end), but I have always shipped them so hard because he wants her.
Tomo is total hilariousness and laid-backness as this playboy and Makoto is a total dork. I love that in Pride, friendships are just as important as love. Halu's friendships with the guys and Aki's friendship with her two girlfriends, Yuri and Chika (Tomo's OTP who is a rare portrayal of an 'easy' girl that is totally positive) are all important and flesh out all the parties in them. One of the reasons Yuri comes across as human despite her mercenary streak is that she is a good friend, whatever her limitations on dating non-rich guys.
You know who I don't love? Halu's old coach. Yeah, yeah, go ahead, tell the guy dating seriously is wrong when you are an athlete. WTF? I have no sympathy for him: he chose to drink himself to death, making life hell for his wife and little kid. I know Halu idolizes him (the scene where he realizes the man is dead is heartbreaking) but seriously...you are a failure as a person, coach! Not to mention, I don't think Halu needs a lesson on how to be self-sufficient. He is too closed-off and self-sufficient already. It's unhealthy, the way he is.
And that is why I love Aki and him together. When he pushes, she pushes back. Somehow, she gets past all the barriers and the closed-off gates. But he gets under her skin too. Their dynamic in this ep is like a ping-pong match which is almost too fast to watch: they tease, they irritate, they connect. They throw each other off-kilter: she out of her comfortable, emotionally barren and safe existence (I think she is 'waiting' for her boyfriend not because she loves or misses him anymore, but because it provides an excuse not to go out and get emotionally involved), he out of his emotionally closed-off world. See him go to her house after coach's death when he is feeling like hell both emotionally and physically (OMG, the deliciousness when he collapses on top of her. I love my h/c). It's instinctive on his part at that point: he doesn't even know her that very well. It always reminds me of that phrase of Lord Peter's to Harriet in 'Busman's Honeymoon': "you are my corner, I've come to hide." (Yeah, I just referenced Dorothy Sayers, whatever :P). You get the sense he is a little puzzled himself he is there (I bet that's the first time he ended at someone's place when he is unwell, he would normally just go home).
And of course, it's the right choice. Aki takes care of him, and it's comfortable and peaceful and soothing (physically and psychically), but she is not a swooning-ministering angel nor a push-over. She is capable and matter-of-fact. He cannot walk over her or push her around or tell her what to do (not that he would necessarily try to do so on purpose, but he is a very strong personality, and if someone isn't strong, the way Aki is, this might end up happening anyway). Also, Aki is gorgeous and very age-appropriate, but she is also very maternal, isn't she (without being ridiculously so). Which, once we find out his issues later, is a huge deal. She is steadying and reliable and true to her words. And Halu so keeps looking for that in women, even ones he is not romantically involved with in any way (like the coach's wife).
And when he offers Aki the temporary-dating deal, saying that it's a perfect match because she is waiting for a bf and he can't date anyone seriously, you can tell it's a rationalization for him: he wants to be around her, she makes him feel good, she makes him connect.
(Oh, how I love the bit when he says he never felt lonely, not even once. Of course, that's a ridiculously untrue thing to say for anyone. And the fact that he says it, especially since I know the whole story, is very very sad, and indicative of his mile-high walls even for the benefit of himself).
Ooooh, and the kissing on the eyelid. *dies*
Hmm, what else. I love the way Halu sleeps, blankets all the way to his chin. Awww.
Oh, and Halu is totally violent on ice, but I love how physically tender he is with Aki, even now. Such a contrast to the scummy bf (ooops, that's much later).
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no subject
Date: 2008-07-13 04:19 pm (UTC)THat is all I can say ... still my all time favourite jdrama!!!
no subject
Date: 2008-07-13 04:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-13 04:54 pm (UTC)Also also Yamato is MEDICAL DRAGON!
no subject
Date: 2008-07-13 04:59 pm (UTC)WHUT??????
OMG, I checked wiki and YOU ARE RIGHT.
I NEED IRIYU LIKE PIE, RIGHT NOW. (more than pie, actually, as I just finished some tea-cake and am pie-satisfied for the moment).
Btw, did you know there is a movie version of Iriyu, with Abe Hiroshi and Takeuchi Yuko? They promised it to us on the flight and I was excited but they lied and we did not have that channel.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-13 05:22 pm (UTC)*goes to find it*
eta: It looks like a parody adaptation of Iryu... with Abe Hiroshi, oh god, that's going to be brilliant.
no subject
Date: 2008-07-13 05:30 pm (UTC)They promised it to us! Do you realize how devastated I was. I wanted to see the Batista technique on my seat-back TV! Hopefully shirtless. Grrrr...evil airline liars :)
no subject
Date: 2008-07-13 05:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-13 05:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-13 05:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-13 07:16 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-07-14 09:03 pm (UTC)I love the eyelid kissing too..I still remember the scene where he saw she had the cut on the same place he used to kiss her...omg. I need a rewatch!
no subject
Date: 2008-07-15 01:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-08-15 10:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-08-15 07:12 pm (UTC)