Stand Up!! (2003)

So STAND UP! is one of my favorite jdramas ever. So please pardon my gushy feelings in this review.

One, I loved the message that the drama brings to the table, which I elaborate on further below.
And Two, it was fun to see some leading jdrama actors (Oguri Shun, Narimiya Hiroki, Yamapi, and Ninomiya) before they hit their peaks of popularity.

STORY-
The drama is about a group of 4 high school friends and all the crazy things that they get into in the process of losing their virginity.
They also reunite with their childhood friend Chie (Suzuki Anne), who seems to have her own reasons for coming back into their neighborhood.
The story is written well, with a perfect balance of comedy and touching moments between friends and family. The plot twists are interesting and I was quite invested in the characters. I usually hate love triangles with a passion, but this drama managed to do a believable and sweet love triangle that I actually connected with emotionally.
At its heart, STAND UP! is a coming of age drama with a focus on sex and friendship.

ACTING/CAST-
Great acting all across the board. Tons of character development and fun minor characters.
Ninomiya really impressed me with his portrayal of Sho: he played insecure, naive, and adorkable very well
Also, Suzuki Anne took the Chie's character and made her into a sweet and endearing female lead.

MUSIC-
Pretty decent soundtrack featuring Arashi.


LAST THOUGHTS-
Though this is a teen sex comedy, there is a good amount of character development, so it's worthwhile to watch. There are also positive messages throughout the drama which reinforce that love is more better than sex. And not to fall into peer pressures. And that sex has consequences. And friends are awesome!

One of my favorite j dramas for its laughs and for its heart.

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The aptest adjective to describe this drama, in my opinion, is "surprising".



The plot is a surprise because it never goes in the direction one expected it to. Don't be fooled by an apparently superficial beginning: nothing in Stand Up!! is what it seems.



The cast is a surprise, because despite the very young age of the main leads, the acting is brilliant and gives the viewer a glimpse to the type of actors those young people would become.



The script is a surprise, as it deals with ordinary occurrences, teens fixations and the relationship between teens and adults in a sweet, mostly hilarious way.



You'll find yourself laughing out loud, giggling and, at times, remembering with a smile.

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