While the story of the show is nothing out of the ordinary, it turned out to be a lot different from what I expected. I thought it would turn out to be predictable and cliche from start to end, but it left me pleasantly surprised at a lot of places. There were certain twists that I had thought would happen but they were pretty different from what I was anticipating. Also, the ending was also contrary to what was expected. It was not at all obvious. I would have liked to make a lot of changes to it, but the current one makes great sense.
While the characters weren't extraordinary, their traits were very relatable. I only found Nobuka's character to be having very unbelievable and fictional traits. I don't know why there is a trend of certain dark and depressed females in Japanese dramas. These depressed females all have the same of look of the ghost from Ring movie. But I suppose it adds to the fun part. But really, I have neither seen nor heard about people like her so I can't say if it was based on fact or entirely imaginary.
I didn't like Shuji that much for the majority of the show because there seemed to be no character development at all till the last three episodes or so. Even Nobuka's character hardly grew. That was very unsatisfactory. Also, the most ridiculous thing was that while almost all situations were being dealt practically, why couldn't just Nobuka just go to a therapist to cure her mental issues? That part was very absurd. In spite of these shortcomings, Maki Horikita played the role excellently. She was very cute the way she kept nodding in a typical way. And the way she kept walking with her head hung low was very cute. The funniest scenes were the 'Nobuta Power Enter' ones. I can still laugh at that because it was done so well. Maki really proved to be a versatile actress and she has anyway done a lot of great shows.
The second guy, Akira was probably my favorite in it. I was so taken in by his character and loved him entirely till episode 6 or 7 because he seemed to be developing in the best way. Also, the actor Yamapi (who plays Akira) was simply brilliant throughout. During the last few episodes, the character of Akira stopped growing and became a victim of bad writing and inconsistency, hence reducing his charm. But it had nothing to do with the acting. Still, I cared more about him than other characters on the show.
And I was so impressed by Erika Toda. She's stunning and acts really well. I can't wait to watch her in Liar Game! I was so happy to find out she is the lead star of that show! I was worried during this show's progress that she would turn out to be the antagonist and thankfully that didn't happen, so I was happy in that aspect. She played a sweet girl and came off as very likable. Shuji was an idiot for not falling for her.
And I have to mention the character of the vice principle. Her character was pure genius. All the best scenes and dialogues went in her basket. She is the perfect kind of teacher that students can have. I would love to meet such a person in real life. It really was one of the best characters of the show with the best characterization, hands down.
Apart from all this, the sub plots were all excellent. Most of all this show portrays friendship very beautifully. Also subjects like teen depression, bullying and peer pressure are raised splendidly. Most of all, they provide with lessons to be learnt in the end. And the fact that life has to move on in spite of everything, and one should treasure the best memories of youth seem to be the core messages of the show. And of course, it tells us to live life fully and appreciate the life we have and the people we have around us.
The writing deteriorated in the last two episodes but it didn't go beyond a certain level of unreasonable. Plus, nobody overacted in this drama so I am thankful for that. It gets dragged a but but it is well within the limit of bearable. And for the rewatch value- it was enjoyable the first time so I am sure it can be watched again (even if I won't).
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What I really found endearing is the frankness of the lead male Shuji and his inner monologue/narration. I like that he was outwardly popular but inwardly unsure, bored, scared and lonely. The theme of this show is a simple one. Finding true friendship...whether you are a popular kid, a quirky loner or a withdrawn, scared and painfully shy newcomer.
Each episode is written to show the development of this core friendship. As the synopsis and title reveal, these three come together to 'produce' Nobuta and make her popular but...wow is that so not what really matters here. I loved the way the story unfolded in such an original manner compared to the way a westernized show would have handled this. Lovely.
The acting is great. Not perfect but very good. My favorite was Yamashita Tomohisa who played Akira. He was so quirky, clumsy and strange but what a loyal and steadfast friend. Yamapi was great. There are a lot of wonderful characters to be found within the setting of their school; teachers and students alike. I enjoyed Shuji's family. They were a hoot! Nobuta was like a flower opening up to the sun when Shuji and Akira found her. I loved the development of her strength and their loyalty to her. Wonderful!
At 10 episodes, this series was a fast and entertaining watch. No story line or plot point dragged on too long or bogged down the pace. The music was fine..not memorable but not bad either. But this drama isn't really about a standout soundtrack so I did not find it distracting or lacking in any way. I gave the re-watch value an 8 because while I might not watch it again this was a very entertaining drama and others might really enjoy watching more than once.
I recommend this drama highly. It's quick, it's sweet, it's touching and fun. Give it try if you are hesitating.
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It is full of laughs, cries, and everything that makes a drama good to watch. It is one of my favorites, and I'm sure it could become yours as well!
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Three words: "Simple yet Meaningful"
Overall - The development of the main characters and the main point of the story had been conveyed creatively.
Story - Simple yet the key points had been established. Idealistic scenarios from realistic conventional and unconventional characters had been well plotted.
Acting/Actor - Realistic portrayal of the raw emotions of the students had been displayed. Each of the actors consistently performed their roles effectively to make the story focused on what it intends to say.
Music - Deemed fit for this kind of story. It also enhanced the scenarios to support the emotions of the characters.
Rewatch Value - As for this kind of story which is mild yet meaningful, it had been rewatchable because of the development of the raw emotions and attitude of the characters. These made the unexpected friendship be deeply bonded due to both typical and unusual events where they matured in rendering trust and understanding for each other.
For the fans of friendship genre and anyone who wants to try this, this simple drama will leave you a smile on your face and you might hope to have or have had this kind of bond with your friends.
By the way, my criteria per review and how I rate each category are discussed in my profile.
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Since it has been released on 2005, you will see the younger Kamenashi Kazuya, Yamashita Tomohisa, and Horikita Maki. They're just so good portraying their roles. I just love how Kazuya have that innate confident in him that makes him so admirable, while Yamashita have that cuteness charm in him that is so adorable. And let's not forget Maki, she's so believable. From the way she walks and talks, it's all consistent.
The whole story is just so wonderful. To be able to make a drama that isn't based on a love story but on true friendship is that makes this story unique. And also in every episodes, a moral lesson can be learned!
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I think I could watch this drama over and over again, and I'd still laugh.
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‘ My Fair Lady’ Meets Japanese Idol Culture…
‘ Nobuta Wo Produce’ is a drama which has long had a love-hate relationship with J-drama fans; some loving the sweet and sentimental revamp tale of “shy girl” Nobuta (Horikita Maki) unlikely befriending
popular guys Kiritani Shuji (Kamenashi Kazuya) and Kusano Akira (Yamapi) in order to get a makeover and become popular, others seeing the drama as just cliche and prosaic. However this leaves newcomers who have stumbled across the drama with one question;” is ‘ Nobuta Wa Produce’ actually worth watching ?”
Arguably one of the winning strengths of the short drama is the acting front. Horitika Maki, Kamenashi Kazuha and of course Yamapi had brilliant and nuanced touches to their mannerisms as their onscreen personas and dynamic chemistry.
As far as the storyline goes there’s a mixed-bag of screenwriting techniques used. On a positive note the drama sometimes did present some more profound messages against its superficial setup; Nobuta’s “ makeover” didn’t press an immediate reset button on how other perceive her or her popularity ( as often showed in the “ magical makeover” trope), but rather gave others over the course of the drama the opportunity to understand the female lead’s unique personality traits.
Similarly unlikely popular main lead Shuji had his reflected insecurities over the course of the storyline. He was often scared of being rejected and often self-conscious about revealing his true self to others until he begins to open up around Nobuta and Akira.
As a consequence of the storyline focusing on high school a lot of the carried themes shown throughout the drama revolved around the “ high school experience” with certain poignancy in the reflected themes, personas and relationships of teens onscreen.
However whilst the drama undeniably had its highs during these moments in the first-half, the second-half lost the series’ true screenwriting momentum . The plot began to rest heavily upon poorly-executed tropes ( including the “ sabotage” cliche) in order to keep the plot moving rather than truly engaging the audience . Characters such as Akira( the fun loving “ jokester” character who felt as though he’d have his key moment to shine like Nobuta and Shuji), fell flat in seconds flat by having little development aside from plot “ tension” ( when it was called for) and to keep the storyline “ lighthearted”.
This is also pointed out a major problem with the second-half failing to seek a sense of dynamic build between our main characters’ friendship; the main goal being simply “ Nobuta’s makeover” lacked a lot of build and connection chemistry. Whilst this did improve over episodes ( and was sweet at times) , it still lacked an extra spark as a consequence of poor build-up.
Then of course there’s the dramatic shift with Shuji and Akira’s “ romantic feelings” for Nobuta. Whilst the romance was arguably necessary to “ spice up the drama”, it was prosaic and meaningless in a drama where the focal foundation of the setup is about friendship. Arguably whilst it was easy to see some connection between Nobuta and Shuji’s onscreen “ potential romance” due to their differing yet “complex” experiences, nothing was ever really solved or explored further between the two. (Questioning as to why it was put forward in the first place.) To add more fuel to the fire there’s also the issue of Akira’s “ crush” on Nobuta. Whilst it wouldn’t have been too bad if there had been a define explanation to Akira’s feelings or this had been carried further, it provided to never brought up again or carried over after its initial use.
The ending of ‘ Nobuta Wo Produce’ has undeniably left viewers indecisive. Admittedly whilst the show does give an appropriate finale and conclusion for Nobuta, there was little to really subside the drama from crumbling away from its initial foundations of a strong friendship between the main characters.
Overall ‘ Nobuta Wo Produce’ was not unwatchable. Despite false appearances against the “ outdated” idol-style haircuts and popular culture tropes, the acting front was fairly good here and the drama did presents some subtly powerful messages about adolescence. On the other hand a major proportion of the drama was overshadowed by the poor execution of the second-half with character arcs feeling rushed and unfinished and tropes and cliches often ruining more profound moments or messages. A decent binge-watch for anyone in the mood for a lighthearted series, but admittedly lacking more coherent structural writing and execution.
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This one is not that novel.
Oh, sure, it sounds like it at first. How many times has Pygmalion been remade as a teen romance, after all? Hot boy turns nerdy girl into beautiful princess and falls in love in spite of himself, right?
Wrong.
I keep seeing people saying "the plot is cliche, very ordinary". The premise may be cliche. But I felt the way the premise was implemented in the story line isn't cliche at all. This story isn't really about Nobuta becoming pretty or popular. It's about three people who learn to open up with each other and develop one of the most beautiful friendships between them I've ever had the pleasure to watch.
Honestly, I wasn't sure about it at first. One of the characters, Akira, was off-putting to me because his behavior is just bizarre - but he grows on you. And at first Shuji comes off as...kind of a jerk who hides behind a nice-guy facade, but as the story progresses you find out he's not, at all. He's just as scared and lonely and human as the other two, but they've each built their own armor to protect themselves. It's when the armor begins to crack that the story really gets good. Nobuta is your typical weird, loner girl...but even she turns out to have some hidden depths. The ending was amazing and left me teary-eyed, but in a good way for a change. I highly recommend watching this one, especially if you like high-school stories, or stories about a trio of friends. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
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Story- The storyline revolves around 2 boys and a girl, where the girl has closed herself off from the outside world and the two boys just don't really fit into their school and they decide to give her a makeover, "produce" her into the most popular girl at school. Its a fun idea with great moments. The drama is fun and quirky for the most part, showing emotional scenes whenever necessary. For a while, I copied "Nobuta's power.... Activate!" just because it was cute.
Acting/Cast- What makes this drama is the trio of stars that play the leads, Maki-chan, Kamenashi Kazuya and Yammapi. Alone, each star has the potential to make a great drama, and together, they show their capabilities. I actually didnt recognize Maki-chan in this at first(I know, I didnt read the cast list, blahh), but seeing her change from the quirky character of Hana Kimi into a dark, and pessimistic girl is a complete turnaround. Kame has also released a few of his own dramas, in my opion, the best being Tatta Hitotsu no Koi.
And Yammapi has been in many dramas such as Kurasagi, Dragon Zakura, so on and so forth. With such talented leads, its bound to be good.
Music- I dont know why, but music in jdramas never really stick to me unlike kdramas. Im pretty sure Kat-tun or Arashi sang the songs for this drama, so it'll be popular within japan/ fans of the two bands.
Rewatch? Hmm, I don't know about the rewatch. Maybe just a few scenes that were memorable but thats about it.
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Story: 8/10 The plot behind this drama is pretty ordinary. It's to make a loner girl at school, into one of the popular kids. That being said, I enjoyed every minute of it.
Acting: 10/10 The acting by Kamenashi Kazuya and Yamashita Tomohisa was outstanding. Erika Toda also did a great job. Overall, the entire cast was relatively flawless. One great thing about Yamaspi in this drama was the fact that he plays a very cute and quirky character unlike his other dramas.
Music: 7/10 The music for this jdrama was pretty average. It served it's purpose and I forgot it soon after I finished the drama.
Rewatch Value: 6/10 This is actually one of the better dramas to rewatch since you know what's going to happen from the very beginning.
Overall: 9/10 All in All, this drama is one of the more lighthearted, fun to watch Jdramas that everyone should watch. So what are you waiting for? Go! Go! Go!
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