Hatsukoi (2022)

Romanticizing cheating is a huge no no for me!

I still remember the first time I watched Titanic and how it felt. Rewatching it several times gave me the same amount of heartbreak and jitters despite knowing the ending. Logically I know there was a good chance the ending could have been different yet it never stole the thunder of the movie for me. My emotions were still very strong.
I want to compare this experience it to this drama where the production, acting and music were superb to be compared to a classic. The initial 3-4 episodes I felt the sense of longing along with the characters. Though the story of a poor divorcee mother and her lost love is no unique plot, I was still invested in the episodes. Somewhere in the middle the story collapsed and it was just so bad I couldn’t like the show anymore.

As many had already mentioned, using amnesia as a breakup plot device is overdone. Since nowadays I have watched a lot of dramas where “going to US” is a trendy breakup point, I certainly didn’t mind amnesia. Just she has been dating him for ages and everyone knew about it, obviously they would have pictures, mementos etc etc and it just didn’t made sense that she never found out about him.

Women are women’s worst enemy was evident in this drama as apparently every woman around Yae was there to create distress. Her greedy mother who passes the entire time safely for hiding such information and never been confronted upon. The MIL was just too disgusting and I want such people to rot in hell (wont waste my words on her). Her ex- husband was a wuss, mumma’s boy and cheater combined in one. I wanted him to face some kind of backlash and was so annoyed when he got a happy ending.

Harumichi’s love triangle was a tough one. I personally hate storyline that sugarcoats cheating. And when he cheated on her fiancé before their wedding, that moment I was completely turned off by the drama. I wanted to sympathize with Tsunemei’s character but girl had no backbone. Instead of standing up for herself, she threw herself into a marriage to avoid breakup at any cost. Please its 2023 (2022 for drama) for God sake can we please get some brainy females characters already?! I am tired of such characters where they throw themselves to support dickheads in the name of love. She should have left a long time back when the guy was running from commitment. The nuance of the “first love” was totally destroyed because of this.

The teenage romance between the son and the dancer was so-so. Coming to the main couple, the titanic scene was very cute. I liked how they spent time on their individual journey apart from the romance. However, they had very few scenes together and it was mostly in flashbacks. The young romance was good enough. The transitions, again as everyone mentioned, was too chaotic sometimes. There were barely any romantic moments between the older couples. She regaining her memories was underwhelming and the events following that was so cliché.
All in all, I don’t regret watching it but won’t recommend it to anyone. It could have been great if they worked on the logic in the script and had more balancing elements to suit the melo theme.

P.S. The random sex scene and Harumichi’s pilot scenes were cringy in my opinion. It was just added to make the hero look cool and didn’t suit the down to earth vibe of the drama at all.

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When love meets fate.

Every episode is about 1 hour and I spent all 9 hours in 1 day!

It's a beautiful story.

The back and forth scenes between the past and present are leading us to deeper feelings toward the characters and their stories.
What happened in the past, led us to the present. The choices we make in life, will take us to certain results.

I laughed, cried, smiled, blushed.. in whole 9 hours.

Being young is being in simple love, being pure, spontaneous, having fun and believing that all dreams can come true.
While being grown ups means love can be complicated, life is about making decisions, and dreams sometimes can't be accomplished.

First love, is something you'll remember forever. The love itself might be faded, but the feeling of having first love would stay.

Some people says that when you really love someone, even if you have amnesia, you would fall in love again when you see that person.

This drama shows you that. In beautiful way. I love it.

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Cliche... pensive for like 5 minutes...

The whole memory loss thing... why do writers still use such overused, cliche plot events??

Sooo... she gets her memories back. And she's so chill about it? She doesn't tell anyone? (I HATE WHEN CHARACTERS DON'T TELL ANYONE ABOUT A HUGE LIFE CHANGE IN A SHOW!!! SO UNREALISTIC) She doesn't contact Harumichi or confront her mother. Also, Harumichi's a bit of a slimeball. Poor Tsunemi, she is forreal just cast aside. He uses then dumps her.

This obsession with first love in so many dramas is lowkey depressing... life is a bountiful and diverse experience, through one's youth to their death. Love and meaningful experiences can be found and had at any age. Some people find their person at 45, 50, 80... no need to put love in youth on a pedestal.

I did like how Harumichi was like are you going to full send and go after what you want from life, or follow life's tail wind? or whatever. I was like so true. So many tail wind moments. She just finds him in a small Iceland airport? Why do dramas always have such a rushed lazy ending? They're so slow with development the entire show then cram a ton of stuff into the last episode. Like pace yourself...

Tsuzuru's music bangs though.

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For the million time I was deceived by the high rate

This drama was the worst ever
I couldn't push myself more to watch more than 03 episodes
Then I fast forward the episodes
The story was very slow pace
The events were disarranged
The plot was lame,boring and shallow
Sexual disgusting scenes literally with no need
And doesn't serve the story at all

The young couple
the FL acting was so bad

The directing was extremely bad and annoying
Jumping from present to past suddenly which make you confused
The flashbacks was disarranged
It took me a long time to figure out that the two couples (young and adults) were same but present and past
At the beginning I thought they were different couples in same period

Nothing encourages me to enjoy it even the comments or the high rates

Good luck for those who want to watch

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This is a very emotional love story about youth and adulthood, hopes and dreams, heartbreak and unforgettable connections. I loved the discussions of fate and of space. It did a beautiful job of taking inspiration from the song 'First Love', and the song itself was incorporated beautifully and made me tear up. The cinematography was stunning. That roundabout, the tree, the snow.. so much beautiful imagery. There are a lot of lovely details, some that you may not understand the significance in the moment.

There's a secondary storyline with Tsuzuru and Uta, and it worked really well to add contrast & to inspire nostalgia for the leads. The supporting characters are memorable, too. Yae's colleague Taro, Harumichi's sister and best friend, Yae's mother. Even Tsunemi, who I was prepared to dislike, was ultimately quite relatable.

The ending was satisfying, although I do wish that we'd seen some of the supporting characters one last time. I'm rating this so high because it brought me joy & succeeded in the story it wanted to tell.

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One of the best romance dramas out there

It has been so long since I found a drama that can make me feel things like this one. Everything was so beautiful. The acting was so on point that it didn't even feel like acting at all.
The chemistry was top notch. I loved seeing how life changed the female and male lead, the flashbacks, the sweetness of youth, the hardships of being an adult. Overall there wasn't any super annoying characters that you can find in romance dramas which kept the experience super pleasant (just one character who was super annoying at times).
Don't even get me started with the musicn because it suited so much the drama !
Litterally this drama is a gem... It teaches us so many lessons on how one should lead life and how to get up when everything scrumbles.
A must watch for sure.
But personally I think we can't experience the same feelings when watching it the first time (without knowing what will happen at the end), but I am sure that it a a must rewatch to see the subtle things that we missed when we saw it first.

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Fate can be a powerful thing

First Love is what the kids these days might describe as “a vibe”. The nine episodes Netflix series is based on two songs by Hikaru Utada– “First Love” and “Hatsukoi. First Love delivers those feelings of giddy young love, of painful separation, long absences, and sudden reconciliations in spades. It’s at least a couple of episodes too long, but it’s impressive in its construction, visuals, performances, and emotional power.

This series spans over 20 years and tells the story of Yae Noguchi and Harumichi Namiki, two highschool students who fell in love in the 90s, but are then separated due to unusual circumstances. As a kid who was born in the 90s, it especially hits closer due to the flashbacks of the 90s era and how love used to happen in those times. A very good series under Netflix, First Love will feel like a slideshow presentation of young love, how it blooms and bundles of emotions that becomes a part of it.

My Rating : 8/10

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Follow Your Heart And Fulfill Your Dreams!

Following your heart may sound like a very simple thing. And yet, why do so many people end up letting others tell them what to do and what their dreams should be? Why do so many people end up choosing the “safer” path which only leads to unhappiness and unfulfillment because that path has nothing to do with their dreams?

Kobe Bryant once said, “If you’re not following your passion and doing what you want to do, then why are you doing it? I love waking up excited because I’m doing what I love.” He’s got a valid point, and it’s a question that most people should be asking themselves.

This is a sweet series about two high school students who fall in love. However, the series traces their lives from the past as well as the present to see how their choices ultimately end up affecting both of their lives. It also allows us to see how making choices that are not in line with their passions and dreams leaves them sidetracked and living a life filled with regrets

Yae Noguchi is a young woman who is bright and is always looking to push the boundaries of her life. She has big dreams of outer space and traveling. She also finds that the love of her life, Namiki Harumichi is a big part of her life. However, after being struck by a car, Yae loses all memories of the past few years, which includes Harumichi. Yae also has a drunk and controlling mother who lives vicariously through her daughter. Feeling that Harumichi is no longer good enough, she tells Harumichi to stay away from Yae. Yae ends up marrying a doctor from a wealthy family. It’s ironic that Yae’s in-laws end up treating her mother the same way her mother treated Harumichi. Yae’s life is soon centered around her son, Tsuzuru, and she drives a taxi cab in Sapporo as way of making money and providing her son with as much as she can. What she may not realize is that Yae’s greatest gifts to her son are support and belief that he can do and be anything he chooses. Something her own mother failed to give her. Most people have no idea how invaluable it is for a parent to simply be there for their children and to let them know that you believe in them. A good parent isn’t about telling your children what to do and what to be. It’s instilling confidence in them to follow their own dreams and passions.

Namiki Harumichi life is centered around Yae from the moment he sees her. Everything he does has her at its center. While he has dreams of becoming a pilot, we see that even those dreams are second to Yae. It is always dangerous to put a person at the center of one’s world. That path is wrought with disappointment. And Harumichi finds his world turned upside down when he discovers that Yae doesn’t remember him, and that Yae’s mother has intercepted every letter that he’s written to her. He’s crushed. Years later, Harumichi is part of a security team at a government building. His dreams of being a pilot seem buried in the past.
Yae and Harumichi end up meeting because Harumichi has been unknowingly helping Yae’s son, Tsuzuru enter the building to watch the girl of his dreams dance. Of course, Harumichi immediately recognizes Yae, but Yae has no idea who Harumichi is.

The series does a masterful job of charting the course of both characters, leaving the viewer to wonder—that after over 20 years, can these two star-crossed lovers find a way to be together? We find ourselves rooting for both of them. Of course, life always throws us curveballs, usually to test our resolve. Will we quit and give up? Or will we push forward no matter how many times we’re knocked down? The series is a testament to the latter. Despite being engaged, Harumichi is spending time with Yae, and it’s clear that—despite not remembering who he is—is infatuated with him.

Harumichi is a character who does the most growing up throughout the course of the series. In the end, he realizes that he can’t sacrifice his own dreams—being a pilot—simply for the love of a woman; a woman who doesn’t even remember him. He wants her back whole, and he’s willing to put her aside. In other words, he doesn’t choose the path of force and manipulation. To do so would be to destroy the memory and love of Yae, both past and present.

While the ending may be a bit predictable, the way it happens isn’t as a few clues—a song and remembering a time capsule—help Yae finally get back the memories she’d lost so long ago. We can see her tearfully realize that the man she’s in love with is the same boy she fell in love with in school long ago.

This is a beautiful story that demonstrates that love is timeless and cannot be held under any conditions or constraints. It also dares the viewer to take a hard look at their own lives. Are you living your passion and dreams? Are you living the life you want to live? If someone is dictating how you should live, don’t blame them for unfulfilled dreams. You gave them that power, and therefore, you are still at fault. Life is about risk. Life is about daring and pushing yourself to do what you may believe to be the unattainable and the unthinkable. Do not believe that such dreams can only be attained by the few. They can be attained by anyone who has the will and the drive to make them happen. Both Yae and Harumichi prove this in this timeless classic!

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You are always gonna be my love

Esse é o dorama mais lindo que já vi! Sem defeitos!
História muito bem desenvolvida, que te prende e trás um mistos de sensações. Estou simplesmente apaixonada por esta obra-prima. E toda ligação das músicas da Utada Hikaru com a história.
De fato, ela se apaixonou duas vezes por ele, porque sempre o amou. E ele nunca deixou de amar, mesmo sem as memórias. Este é o verdadeiro significado de almas gêmeas e destino, tem pessoas que estão destinadas e não importa o quanto você goste dela, ela já tem sua pessoa.
A protagonista recuperando suas memórias e perseguindo seus sonhos foi tão perfeito, e ainda fazendo isso com o amor de sua vida.

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This drama is a total cliche, but a good one.

So I'm not the biggest fan of Japanese dramas for different reasons, but this one is worth watching.
I'll mention my good and less good thoughts about this drama.
1. As I mentioned I'm not the biggest fan of Japanese dramas so I didn't know Mitsushima Hikari and Satoh harumichi, and boy, they are such brilliant actors. they have made me feel every emotion and thoughts that they had.
2. younger versions of harumichi and yae were so cute!! they definitely delivered the youth's first love, and every time that taisei (aka young Namiki) appeared on a scene, the whole mood brightened up! he's such a gem actor.
3. the story was definitely a cliche, but a good one. I was really afraid that yae's lost memory will ruin everything, but that wasn't the case.
4. Harumichi and his sister's relationship was so pure and wholesome. I loved their beautiful connection and understanding of each other.

Now the less favorite things.
1. younger version of yae did a great job, but I hated the fact the actress is way taller than the mature one. it just didn't make any sense lol, but ok.
2. I HATED the fact that harumichi cheated on Tsunemi. that was very unnecessary and didn't fit his genuine and gentlemanly character. I've felt so bad for her. she was such a sweet one.
3. the sex scene was unnecessary. it could have been easily a 15+ rated drama without this scene but whatever lol.
4. I know that it's probably an unpopular opinion, but I would have been totally ok if harumichi and yae wouldn't end up together. people can grow and move on with their own journey and the return of yae's memory was a little bit forced. also, their chemistry together romantically wasn't so great for me either. actually, the actor had better chemistry with Kaho (akaTsunemi).

overall the series is great. the cast did a great job, and the cinematography was beautiful.
it gave me the 'this is us' series kinda vibe, which I like.
it's a 9/10 for me.

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Sad love story but last it has happy ending

Story revolved around past and present . How two persons fall in love in their school age ,they cherish their relationship and even their parents didn't have any problem with it . But suddenly something happened and female lead's character met an accident and she forget some precious memories of her life . She only remembered her mother . She forget her love and even her friend too . Doctor adviced her mother not to try to recall her old memories . But at this stage her mother took a wrong decision which totally ruin her life .
Two things I had learnt from the story first not always parents decision prove to be right for their children . They take such decisions for their children sake that their children donot live the life which they are living . Their thought may be right but sometime it might ruin their children life .
Second before marrige girl's and boy's parent should talk clearly that what their expectation towards their son in law and daughter in law respectively so rich and poor status never come in their life . This rich and poor thoughts ruin the two people life .
I liked the story .I will give thumbs up to it . But wait, It is very slow and emotional story . Sometime might it feels bore.

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