dangermousie: (THnK: Kame by winterspel)
[personal profile] dangermousie
Have finally got Tatta Hitotsu No Koi ep 2 to work by dling from a different source. All glorious 45 minutes present, this time. In the final analysis, I spent 3+ hours trying to get this ep to work AND getting up early to watch it.

Was it worth it, for a 45 minute ep?

HELL YEAH.

THnK, if it keeps on going the way it has, is going to replace Majo No Jouken as my favorite jdorama. I haven’t been that upset at the whole only-one-ep-a-week thing since I was mainlining Silence a few months back (hmmm. Serious gorgeous young men and doomed love. I seem to have a thing for it).



Also, I think I’ve created a new record for myself, as I was crying the second ep in. It’s ridiculous too, because no huge angst hit as of yet or anything, but it’s the very ordinariness and small-scale of the issues that makes it more realistically relatable. And the scene I was sniveling at? It’s completely ridiculous: it’s the one where Hiroto goes to bring the cleaning money to Nao’s apartment and before entering the building he just looks in awe at how big and shiny her building is (compared to his wreck of a place). I have no idea why, but I just started bawling.

The thing that kills me about Hiroto/Nao, and makes me want to protect them and bake them cookies and just send them to a tropical island for a fun getaway is that they are both so young and decent and tentative that it hurts. There is something incredibly fragile about both of them. It’s an odd phrase to use, but somehow that’s the word that comes to mind when I think of them.

For Nao, it’s probably because not only does she come across as physically very slight and slender and contained, but because in so many ways, she is such an unworldly innocent. She comes from a loving family, has been sheltered and has (as the dorama ominously hints) have been very sick in the past, so it all made her avoid the rougher edges of life. It gives her a certain purity, and I think that is why she is so straightforward: she is not jaded or sophisticated enough not to be. She has the pure directness of childhood.

As for Hiroto? He’s someone who’s had to grow fast in some fairly unpleasant circumstances. It’s clear he is the one who runs the house and is the caretaker. His mother (who seriously must be found under ‘slattern’ in the dictionary) is clearly useless. Hiroto runs the factory which is falling apart, Hiroto takes care of Ren, his younger brother (his scenes with Ren just KILL me. I can also see why [livejournal.com profile] winterspel is worried Hiroto is going to die as he tells his little brother he’d give his heart to him if he likes it so much and the camera does all these close-ups). But that’s the thing. He is what, 18,19? He should not be acting like a mother to a 10 year old. His mother should be doing that instead of dumping the burden on him (and where is his father, anyway?) He is someone much too young to be dealing with all these burdens and yet he comes across as such a quiet, gentle person (in fact, he reminds me of Mike He’s character in Love Contract in that respect. Hiroto is probably the quietest dorama character except for Ken I’ve come across). He has this shell that he tries to protect himself under mainly because he has a beaten-down air about him and doesn’t want to be disappointed yet again.

I don’t really think he has much self-esteem and can be hurt so easily because he IS sensitive and caring (see him with Ren) and he doesn’t seem to expect anything good in life. Which is why it took such an act of courage for him to come and meet Nao in the first ep. And which is why after Nao finds that he lied about Uni and calls him a liar, he shuts down on her. She is the one who ends up giving her address to the friend of his to pass to him. And he pretends he doesn’t want it but he wants it desperately. And then he goes to her apartment but doesn’t go in after all and just leaves $$$ with the receptionist because he’s afraid to face her again. Hiroto is that rarity among dorama characters: he’s shy. Not shy, precisely, but someone acutely conscious of his lack (whether real of imaginary). It makes sense to me why he is so much more obsessed about the fact that he is one step away from broke and Nao is from a rich family: it’s easy to overlook it and be magnanimous if you are well off. It’s a lot harder to forget if you are the ‘lower status’ one as perceived by society.

Nao is someone who is really good for him. She is straightforward and not afraid to make the first move. He needs that. He needs the reassurance that he is wanted, he needs to feel safe to open up emotionally. And he has enough burdens without a high-maintenance gf. And yet she is someone who instinctively brings out his protective side and someone hw can take care of.

OMG. I just realized something. This is Love Contract done RIGHT. Oh my God. (And yes, this time the friends are cool and interesting in their own right, and not annoying).

I loved the scene at the fair: they are both stealing glances and there is awkward sweetness and when he went back to win that orange thing for her, I just died. And then he stretched out his hand for her. OMG OMG OMG OMG. It’s such a big deal. And she put the orange thing into his hand because I don’t think she realized he wanted to hold hands and he smiled and gave her the orange thing back and extended his hand again.

She can make him open up and feel secure. The reason he felt OK doing that, after all, was because right before she told him she wanted the toy so badly because he won it for her (and that got him to say that is why he wanted to win it).

And they run through the crowd and they smile. And they do the quick little phone call from his building to hers and it’s adorable.

He needs to believe that he is allowed to be happy. And Nao might just be the person to do that. Except for the whole ‘this is a tragedy’ thing. Which is going to kill me.

In other news, I started Satomi Hakkenden and it’s the best thing in a long time. The prologue is a bit slow, but once the princess dies and the story starts going with Takki and his katana and his hair and his angst and evil family, it gets EXCELLENT. I need to see more to meta, but I definitely will.

Date: 2006-10-31 05:49 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] winterspel.livejournal.com
Actually I think Hiroto is meant to be about 20. There was an info sheet somewhere that had the ages of the characters, and I know that Hiroto was definitely supposed to be about Kame's age (which is 20). Not like in Sapuri where he was playing older (23). I know, it doesn't seem like much, but at his age, I think it is. Funny then that Hiroto is already old for his age while Ishida Yuya was young for his. ;)

I fear for poor Hiroto's life! I soooo want to be wrong. And that scene with Ren was SO MUCH LOVE.

Date: 2006-10-31 09:16 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dangermousie.livejournal.com
OK, 20 makes sense.

Poor Hiroto :(

Date: 2006-10-31 07:02 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] catdecember.livejournal.com
all the stolen glances during the fair was just *squee*. makes me giddy everytime.

Date: 2006-10-31 09:16 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dangermousie.livejournal.com
I know! It was so perfect. Mmmm, am getting more THnK icons soon!

Date: 2006-10-31 08:36 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] alexandral.livejournal.com
Not shy, precisely, but someone acutely conscious of his lack

Hiroto's shyness and low self-esteem is what totally makes me feel for him. What if he doesn't die, but Ren will receive Nao's heart? Or they don't transfer hearts from one gender to another? Because, yep, she is going to have a relapse any minute.

Date: 2006-10-31 09:15 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dangermousie.livejournal.com
Hiroto's shyness and low self-esteem is what totally makes me feel for him.

I know! I just want to take care of him, in a rather protective maternal fashion.

What if he doesn't die, but Ren will receive Nao's heart?

Oh my gosh, the angst of it if it happens. The gender of the donor doesn't matter for things like hearts...

Date: 2006-10-31 09:24 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] alexandral.livejournal.com
Let me know if you need episode 3, I can MegaUpload it for you. It is GOOD!!! I even made icons!

Date: 2006-10-31 11:12 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dangermousie.livejournal.com
I know! I stole some :)

Date: 2006-10-31 10:56 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kitsune714.livejournal.com
He is someone much too young to be dealing with all these burdens and yet he comes across as such a quiet, gentle person (in fact, he reminds me of Mike He’s character in Love Contract in that respect. Hiroto is probably the quietest dorama character except for Ken I’ve come across).

I know that you know that I am avoiding Love Contract on principle, but god, this comparison kind of makes me want to watch it now, even though I know its ending is super-WTF.

Don't you adore Hiroto? And I totally understand what you mean about Nao and Hiroto's characters both seeming terribly fragile, despite the fact that it's looking more and more like Nao's going to be the one with the terrible illness or something. I love the understated production of this drama--it makes it seem more real, what with the awkwardness and the shy reserved...OH MY GOD.

I give up trying to be intellectual about this.

*FLAIL*

Seriously, you need to see episode three. I think I maxed out my squee levels during episode three. It's just that good.

I'm terribly concerned that Hiroto and Nao might both die. I mean, you did see that shot in the ending credits, right? Both dressed in white, holding hands on a couch, looking kind of...well, not alive, that's for sure. When Hiroto was talking to Ren about his health and stuff, I had this horrible flash: "Oh my god, Hiroto is going to die in a terrible transplant surgery gone wrong and then Ren will die too but Nao will survive her relapse and then wander off into a snow-capped forest never to be seen again and Hiroto is doing all his voice-overs from the Beyond."

But then I checked myself, because this drama is in Japan, not Korea.

God, I can't wait for this week's episode.

Date: 2006-10-31 11:12 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dangermousie.livejournal.com
LC is good, excellent, actually if you have a ff button.

Hiroto is probably my favorite jdrama protagonist. He is so...defenseless and quiet.

I love the understated production of this drama--it makes it seem more real, what with the awkwardness and the shy reserved...OH MY GOD.

Exactly. It seems like something you might have brushed by in college. If you lived in Japan and bumped into someone as gorgeous as Kame and had really really bad luck of jdorama characters.

Seriously, you need to see episode three. I think I maxed out my squee levels during episode three. It's just that good.

Watching this tonight.

But yeah, I am worried about both Nao and Hiroto. It's horrible because I want them to have a happy ending so badly.

Oh my god, Hiroto is going to die in a terrible transplant surgery gone wrong and then Ren will die too but Nao will survive her relapse and then wander off into a snow-capped forest never to be seen again and Hiroto is doing all his voice-overs from the Beyond

Heeeee. Considering I just watched Untold Scandal. Korean dramas love people wandering off in the snow, don't they?

But I don't want anyone to die. I want Hiroto to save his factory, and marry Nao and have cute kids they will spoil and Ren gets better and blah blah blah.

Date: 2006-11-01 12:06 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] meganbmoore.livejournal.com
I loved the prologue of Satomi Hakkenden, but I do agree that it could have been a few minutes shorter.

Yes, the family is horrid, but...uhm...*zips mouth*

*mentionsthere's a reason those 2 have such a sweet, cheerful and cute daughter in spite of everything*

Date: 2006-11-01 06:10 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dangermousie.livejournal.com
Ooooh, can't wait!

Date: 2006-11-01 12:55 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hope-fuleigh.livejournal.com
And now I think I must watch this.

And I totally wasn't going to. But now I must.

Date: 2006-11-01 02:32 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kitsune714.livejournal.com
DO IT DO IT DO IT.

It's so, so good, really.

Date: 2006-11-01 06:10 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dangermousie.livejournal.com
You should. It's excellent.

Date: 2006-11-01 06:17 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] hope-fuleigh.livejournal.com
Started the download lastnight! You're all just too persuasive.

Date: 2006-11-01 06:21 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dangermousie.livejournal.com
YES! Victory!

Hope you like.

Date: 2006-11-01 01:42 am (UTC)
ilanala: (Default)
From: [personal profile] ilanala
My money's on Hiroto surviving, if only because he does the voiceover, which sounds like he's looking back on his life and remembering the tragic love he had back in the day. Plus, they're hitting us over the head with the possibility of Nao relapsing, so it seems like she's likely to die in an extremely dramatic fashion (since this doesn't strike me as the kind of show to do something unexpected, what with its lead-brick hints and significant close-ups). But either way, I'm bracing myself for it being really depressing. I like tragedies, but they're awfully hard to watch...

Date: 2006-11-01 06:11 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dangermousie.livejournal.com
True. I think Nao will buy it which is evil. Hiroto's life already sucks :(

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