Strobe Edge (2015)

Strobe Edge may be the best shoujo adaptation to this date. I am personally not satisfied with most manga adaptations out there (they do not pick or transform actors well, they are boring etc.), however, this adaptation is great. Bear in mind that if you are not a shoujo fan, you will not like this and in order to like it you have to take it for what it is - a light and fluffy romantic teenage film which revolves around a world in which friendship and what your crush does are the most important things.

The story is a typical shoujo plot and the film follows the manga closely. That may or may not be boring if you have already read the manga. I have but I still ended up enjoying it. It is not a masterpiece nor something that I would rewatch from the beginning to end because there is no depth - I mean, a cute girls falls for a guy, he is already in a relationship that seems more like a friendship and it has become a routine, he falls for her too, there are also some supportive characters and that's it.

The cast is perfect. They are like the manga characters come to life. The acting consists of typical Japanese cute expressions and outbursts which you should have got used to if you have watched enough Japanese films. It's just their thing.

Music is also perfect consisting usually of instrumental piano tracks which fit the romantic school setting perfectly . I cannot stand the cliched sugar pop songs that seem like they are coming from a game machine or sth. I would also like to praise the production because it seems they did put more effort into editing.

The overall impression is - I liked it. I knew what to expect and that is what I got. Would I recommend it? Only to shoujo fans and those who like a light and fluffy story.

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Well, after all the expectations and disappointments I had from last year's high school love story/ manga-made-into-live-action, I finally found something. Strobe Edge is great among it's similar genre competitors, even though I won't say it is the best, it does leave with me a good feeling and scenes that I know I can never forget.

Let's go for breakdown now!

STORY: 9.0/ 10
I would say this is great, what I expected from a love story, it was delivered. Lovable characters, obstacles that preventing them from being together. At first I do really feel doom for Ren and Ninako, it gives me an ache in the chest to see how compatible they are for each other, all the little similar interests they shared, the chemistry between them. I also love the character developments, for all three main leads, Ninako, Ren and Andou, it is very well written.

Though what I do think they can probably thicken Ren and Andou's friendship to make it a deeper impact on the viewers. That's what preventing it from being the perfection I hope it to be.

ACTING/ CAST: 9.0/ 10
Gotta love the casts, even though I couldn't see much from Sota's acting, Kasumi did a really convincing job as Ninako, she's sweet and simple and adorable. I love her so so much! Yuki too, was able to make Ando such an endearing character, a little bit annoying, but he has grown to be my favorite character in this movie.

The chemistry between these casts are perfection, though I would expect nothing less from a movie lead by Fukushi Sota, he seems to always have these strong chemistry with his fellow casts. Not to mention, all these three already had experience working with one another back in Starman. ;-)

MUSIC: 9.0/10
The ending song, that ending song just fitting with the movie itself, that much I noted. Not much complain towards the music plays throughout the movie either. But seriously, I LOVE that ending song so so much!

REWATCHABLE VALUE: 9.0/10
Will definitely rewatch this, because it is sweet, it with adorable characters, those sweet moments that makes me grin like a school girl again, just bathing in the fluffiness and sweetness of high-school love, and wishing that I ever had love experience like that back then. Haha!

This is a movie I would certainly recommend to anyone who wanted something that just makes you grin to yourself for the 2 hours, or perhaps a girls sleepover, this makes a very good sleepover film. :)

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I finished the manga few days ago and watching this now was so disappointing.
I mean the manga was great,I truly loved it...but this...urhhhhh.

Well it was cute and I even fangirled sometimes but after you have read the manga you miss all side story....they have a great impact to the story ....this was basically the main couple story with some changes in the story-line...which is not unusual in manga adaptation^^

The cast was good but I think the choice for the girls was wrong.
Ninako is much more childish and cute in the manga and Mao also doesn't fit her manga character.
The acting was pretty good and I really liked the music.

All in all it´s a good Japanese movie...nut I really recommend you to watch it before reading the manga ;)

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Colour me surprised! The movie was lovely.

I avoided Strobe Edge, the manga and the movie like a plague because the premise sounded like something I would want nothing to do with. But the cinematography of the movie seemed sweet (which was really really great) and my best friend wanted to give it a shot so, we watched it.

I’m really glad that we did. The premise wasn’t misleading, the story really was about tangled relationships of a group of high schoolers but the execution was nothing like I feared. The characters communicated. It was so refreshing. They were all acting like adults and communicating their problems and there weren’t a single character I disliked. I could symphatize with them and always understand the reasoning behind their actions. I really liked our heroine and her positivity. It didn’t feel fake, she felt like someone I would love to be friends with in real life. Same goes for the lovable hero, who is like a unicorn.

Also this movie was one of the rare instances where I could feel the attraction between the leads. Their romance was believable and it made me giddy. I found myself rooting for them not because they were the hero and heroine of the story, but because I really wanted them together. Most of the time we have to take the heroine’s word for her feelings towards the hero. But in this movie, I could see and feel it. I loved it so much.

The dialog in the movie was really well written. I don’t know if it was the director’s skills but the scenes were natural and felt real. It’s not only thanks to the dialog though. There were some artistic choices that helped with this sense of realism. The movie was mostly made of diegetic sounds, which are sounds that are only present in the scene itself and not an outside song playing in the background. I’m not a film buff, so the only other example I can think of is the movie Before Sunrise and its sequels. It made everything feel more grounded and real.

I feel like, the director really cared for the movie. I don’t know much about him (definitely going to check out his other works) but he could easily went the way of filming it like any other shoujo manga adaptation. I’m not saying this because I don’t respect the works of other shoujo adaptation movie directors, because I do. But I felt like, he put just an extra effort and it showed. I don’t know.

I really liked this movie, and definitely going to rewatch it in the future and if you are having second thoughts because of the premise, I suggest you to still give it a shot.

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Lately, I've been on a spree of watching manga/anime live-action adaptations. Strobe Edge had been on my list for a while, but I finally got around to it because of a friend.

Since I'm still inexperienced when it comes to Japanese movies and dramas, I am not familiar with any faces or actors besides Yamazaki Kento. To my surprise, the cast was lovely. They all managed to capture that "comfortable, yet very awkward" vibe that happens when someone likes another person. While there were a few moments that even made me cringe (and I'm such a sucker for cringy, romantic dialogue), the cast really did bring the movie to life.

The plot itself is very subtle and nice. Unlike most of the movies I've seen, the main lead, Ninako, doesn't stand out too much. Her presence isn't strong, but she gives off such a warm feeling that simply makes you love her too. You can't help but root for her as she struggles with her first encounter at love. You can understand everything that she is thinking and end up talking to your screen trying to give her support she obviously needed throughout the movie. Strobe Edge seems the closest to what can actually happen in real life which made me like it even more.

Strobe Edge can be very slow at certain points. Unless that doesn't bother you, then I highly recommend. Also, it didn't make me cry despite some serious/sad moments that appears; I'm a pretty sensitive person so if you aren't in the mood to shed tears, then this movie is for you!

I only gave it a 6 for rewatch value because it is something I would watch if I'm in the mood to watch. Compared to the other movies I've watched recently, Strobe Edge has a warmer and gentler feel rather than overwhelming emotions that come with rom coms.

It still was a lovely movie! It makes me want to read the actual manga!

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This movie has been on my list for a while since it got great ratings and the title is quite captivating.
I guess finding out that it is a live-action adaptation lessened my disappointment.

I don't think any of the actors or actresses did a great job but I think Ando Takumi, Yamada Yuki, stood out the most, especially when he cried.

The scene I loved the most was at the end of the festival- the sunset in the background, bubbles everywhere, and a beautiful soundtrack working together to evoke a dream-like scene.

This movie is relatable; unrequited love doesn't discriminate, and the character Ninako, positive and very caring, is lovable enough to stay with this movie till the end. I appreciate the message Takumi conveys- that its okay to do what makes you happy sometimes. You're happiness matters.

The soundtracks were okay; however, I watched this movie on the plane and the engine roar kinda made it hard to hear them half the time. I'll definitely listen to them separately since I'm certainly not re-watching this movie.

Overall, I found the movie boring. I'll start reading the manga now.

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Boy Crush with slow pacing

Review based on Movie alone, didn’t even know there was a manga.

LIKES:
Yuki great in every role he acts
Sensible girl, even if she’s clumsy. Very mature compared to everyone else in this movie.
Handsome lead but not overly hyped up by the writers for once.
Cinematography and colour pallet was good too.
Loved the fireworks.
Music choice was okay and fit the scenes.
Acting was good overall.
End was satisfactory.

DISLIKES:
WRITING
A few hugs and hand holding, but disappointed there was no kisses made by the ML, by high school couples do that.
Ren & Ninako didn’t have any noticeable growth, the characters that had growth were Takumi and Mao.
Ren came across as a bit boring and stiff. Also when the change came for his love interest, it wasn’t very impactful, because he had little time to notice the girl or had limited “special” moments that came across as romantic. Those moments shown in the flashbacks were more ‘let’s be friends’ than ‘I love you’.
MUSIC lyrics were appropriate, but sometimes it was too loud, so the actor/actress voices were over powered
PRODUCTION
Back lighting (the sun/bright day) made seeing their faces sometimes hard because it was too bright
too many flash backs, so it felt like time filler.
Pacing was a little slow in areas. Too much time spent on running around and multiple flashbacks, when only two each would have been enough.
ACTING
No chemistry between Sota and Arisa.

OVERALL: Fast, easy watch, hardly any drama. Watch it if you are a fan of Yuki (Yamada).

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I'm not sure I can even properly explain why I love this movie so much. I guess it's the whole atmosphere? The way it's shot? All the main characters? The story itself? Basically everything, I guess?

I love that there are so many good people in this movie. Ninako confesses her love to Ren but Ren already has a long-time girlfriend so he rejects her, very kindly, and Ninako accepts it and asks to stay his friend and even defends him. Ren does all he can to emotionally support his girlfriend, a slightly older girl with family issues, to the point where he works himself to exhaustion. And Ando... Ando loves to pretend being callous and uncaring but, boy, does he care!

I find the relationship between Ren and his girlfriend, Mayuka, so interesting. Because, yes, she's slightly older, already working and driving a car but she needs Ren to be her rock. And he is, he so is. Because he promised her. He promised and he would never, ever break his promise, no matter his own feelings or needs. But... he is still a teen and it's simply too much for him, school and a part-time job and going to her house every day. And I love that it is her who realizes it, what Ren is doing...

And Ando and Ren! I wish their relationship was explored deeper because when Ren talks about Ando, about what their relationship was like back in middle school before everything went pear-shaped between them... He sounds so wistful. Like, "Before, I had always been alone. I only talk to people who want to talk to me - and Ando wanted to talk to me. He didn't say anything special but it made me so happy... And he was so lonely."

And when Ando then finds out that he broke off his friendship with Ren for nothing, that Ren was innocent of the thing Ando accused him of - Ando's reaction!

It's such a sweet and serene movie. And I felt for them. And Fukushi Sota (Ren), Yamada Yuki (Ando) and Arimura Kasumi (Ninako) are so good in their parts. Honestly, I've never realized before how many projects Fukushi Sota and Yamada Yuki have done together so far! I hope we will see them together in something again at some point in the future!

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Fantastic Adaptation

I absolutely adore this adaptation. The characters are perfectly portrayed in the film. I’ve reread the series and watched the movie so many times now. Due to time constraints, much of the angst in the plot is skipped over however it still maintains the flow in such a natural way. It’s a beautiful story. Overall I can’t recommend it enough.

My only big issue is with Ninako’s characterization. I’m not sure if it’s a cultural thing but when reading the manga, she seemed more energetic & silly. The movie portrays her as more reserved and sweet. I personally saw her as being someone neurodivergent in some capacity, but I’m not sure if characters like that are less likely to be seen in Japanese media, especially dramas. (I’ve seen “My Little Monster” as well, which was incredible, but obviously things are different when women are acting in ways similar to that) I know the countries & cultures are different but I was imaging Ninako to be more like Kim Bok Joo than a cute & kind protagonist. While I do adore those as well, it wasn’t what I was expecting from the movie.

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The perfect high school romance

I love this movie. It's so gentle and quiet and sweet -- such a refreshing change from the highly dramatic and trope-ridden Japanese high school movies that you often see. Don't get me wrong, I love my fair share of those, but this is feels like a real breath of fresh air. It's well acted but subtly, and the scenes feel natural and realistic. Overall this show has a beautiful tone and ambiance, and the romance unfolds in a way that feels really genuine. Some may say that it feels underwritten or too gradual, but I think that it becomes better and better with repeat viewings.

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"Isn't loving a person all about happiness? There's also pain...and the suffering."

A little bit cheesy, but I enjoy watch this movie. It can make me smile and warmed my heart at some point I want to re-run my high school time LOL
Well, I'm kinda amaze why Ninako can see others true intention really quick. I can't do that (^_^;) I give my salute to her because she can act (almost) normal after Ren reject her. I appreciate Mayuka's act of letting Ren go after she saw his gaze over Ninako on fireworks festival. But the part which make my heart melted is when Ren folding up his sweater which lent to Ninako on the class trip <3

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