Hidamari ga Kikoeru (2024)

Lighthearted coming-of-age drama with a different take of the hearing impaired.

Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25

“I Hear the Sunspot” is a lovely and sweet coming-of-age drama. Despite having a male lead with a hearing impairment, this drama focuses more than just his disability. It’s without a doubt that the challenges of having a disability will be part of the plot. But compared to other dramas of a similar topic, this drama has a more down-to-earth and lighthearted approach. It also distinguishes itself from other dramas as Kohei (ML) is not deaf-mute, but can still hear. It’s both a blessing and a curse when you can still hear, and when expectations of you could be somewhat unreasonable.

Additionally, this drama is also about knowing and discovering yourself. The lovely friendship and subtle romance between Kohei and Taichi is sweet. They are both very likable characters, and their interactions feel personable. The little things they do for each other and the quiet understanding of each other are the highlights of this drama. Seeing how Kohei integrates into Taichi’s friends circle so seamlessly, is also lovely to see (that zombie movie is hilarious).

And because the drama is so soothing and slice-of-life that it’s lacking an emotional impact on me. I don’t come out feeling the same angst as when I was watching “Silent” or the more fun and touching moments in “Shizuka-chan to Papa”. The conflicts in this drama could have been easily resolved if Kohei and Taichi would just talk to each other. They had no problems doing that in the first half of the drama, but seemed to forget how to communicate in the second half. Kohei could have been Taichi’s biggest supporter if given the chance, just like how Taichi has been there for Kohei. They just need to talk!

Nevertheless, “I Hear the Sunspot” is a lovely drama. It’s an easy watch with a handsome male lead that flashes a very attractive smile every so often (I’m talking about Nakazawa Motoki/Kohei). I do find Taichi a little loud and over-the-top for my taste.


Completed: 10/7/2024 - Review #496

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A story about love, acceptance and overcoming obstacles

This is a series about how through friendship, love, support and acceptance. It is a story about Kohei who suffers from partial hearing loss and distances himself from his classmates until he finds a cheerful and occasionally dense Taichi who treats him like a friend. Slowly Kohei, through Taichi’s support opens himself to new experiences and what starts as a friendship develops into something more.

The strength of the show lies in its genuine exploration of disability and the power of human connection. Kohei and Taichi come from two different worlds but thanks to a chance encounter they begin talking and influencing each other lives. Nakazawa Motoki with his expressions and a sweet smile showcases the inner turmoil of a disabled person in a society that fails to understand him. Kobayashi Toranosuke as Taichi is loud and care-free but ultimately a person who is trying to discover himself. As the story progresses their bond influences them, as they realise what they really need.

The series, however suffers from slow pacing. Certain episodes seem long-winded and showcase nothing new or play as character-development. Also, the introduction of Maya is abrupt and plays no role in progressing the plot, other than increasing the time or creating unnecessary angst between the main characters. The rest of the supporting characters like Kohei’s mom and Taichi’s grandad take the role of guides who direct the main characters towards the right path.

In conclusion, the series is a good mix of emotions, drama and romance but suffers from pacing issues. However, it remains a heartwarming and uplifting watch, offering a unique perspective on disability and the power of friendship.

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serie molto bella, ma la storia d'amore è poco sviluppata

serie davvero molto bella e delicata. I personaggi di Kohei e Taichi sono molto ben caratterizzati. Per quanto riguarda la tematica della disabilità uditiva ho trovato alcune situazioni e alcune frasi molto significative e importanti. Ci sono personaggi secondari che entrano ottimamente nella storia, gli amici del campus, il nonno di Taichi, Maya. Anche per quanto riguarda l'amicizia tra i due protagonisti ci sono scene e dialoghi davvero splendidi. La parte debole purtroppo è la storia BL, che viene sviluppata poco e si concretizza solo negli ultimi minuti dell'ultimo episodio, dopo interi episodi in cui Kohei e Taichi hanno problemi di comunicazione e interagiscono pochissimo tra di loro. Essendo una serie BL si tratta di una lacuna importante che ha fatto scendere di parecchio il voto.

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Another solid BL from Japan

Sep 11, 2024

Another solid BL released from Japan has been made in the year of 2024. It is amazing how, the story line progressed and many have said how accurate it is from the manga. So now, it seems like I will be finding my ways into reading this manga too.

The plot is simple yet the way it was portrayed really kept me interested. Though, I really hated the Maya arc, that girl annoyed me so much that I simply had no choice but to skip some scenes.

I love the chemistry of our leads to say the least. Given how pg and very fluffy, the chemistry is chef's kiss! I need more to be honest but yea.

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I don't remember how I ended up watching this series from the start. Basically, I did not have any expectations. I was just feeling bored with Thai series and trying to forget my dissatisfaction with The Only One.

I will try to be as objective as possible. Lol.

First of all, I kind of knew this theme from another Japanese movie back in 2017, yet I don't mind repeating the same concept all over again in a series. One thing I like about the story is that the conflict between Kohei and Taichi was honestly heavier than I thought it would be. As a college student, I know exactly how hard it is to save money for college while working part-time elsewhere. I actually had the same thoughts as Taichi; I considered dropping out of college to keep working since I already had a stable job back then.

However, I had some expectations regarding Kohei's condition. But I guess the Japanese are not ready to portray a "bad guy" like the Taiwanese do. Lol.

I don't really mind the lack of (real) kissing scenes throughout the show, since kissing is not really a big deal in Japanese BL. However, I felt Motoki's performance could have been better. In comparison with Kobayashi, he seemed a bit mediocre. Kobayashi really did a good job as Taichi; I fell in love with his character, especially when he was trying to be cute but manly at the same time.

Now, I guess I need to find another series after my upcoming exam. Lol.

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A space for you and me

The story starts out with a voice – bright and clear in a crowded sea of noise. Kouhei, who has a hearing impairment, has trouble hearing others. But he hears Taichi’s voice loud and clear.

Hearing what someone has to say is the first step to being understood, but as Kouhei’s hearing impairment worsens, he quickly realises that true understanding is not always about what is spoken.

Taichi is the first hearing person to take a genuine interest in Kouhei's disability without judgement or pity.

While something more than friendship blossoms between two young men, I Hear The Sunspot is not just a beautiful romance.

It has also been lauded for being an extraordinary social commentary on disability. There are so few BLs that make disability a central theme of the series, let alone present issues in a nuanced way. The beauty of I Hear The Sunspot is in how space is created for others without diminishing the space of others.

Other BL reviews: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/

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Heartwarming

Okay, so I have watched the movie adaptation of this a long time ago and I don't exactly remember the events but I remember the what I felt when I watched it. So when I heard there's gonna be a drama adaptation, I was beyond stoked.

The casts: I was pleasantly satisfied with the actors' performance. They all felt real and their interactions as well as how they are in their day-to-day lives all felt natural. Those nuances, little details like their facial expression even when they're just in the background or the camera is not focused on them, felt natural.

The story/plot: I have not read the manga which this was based on but I read somewhere that the drama was not far from the source material. Even Maya's appearance was accurate. Contrary to other violent reactions towards Maya, I did not find her character and her actions annoying. However, they could've removed Maya's parts and replaced it with other situations that would help or progress the relationship of Kohei and Taichi. However, I also do understand that it’s also important to have another perspective when it comes to hearing impairment.

The music: Yuuhinoue by Takaya Kawasaki is probably one of the best song I've ever heard. The first time I heard it, I immediately teared up. So imagine every time it plays in the end of every episode, I just couldn't contain my emotions. It's one of kind.

Rewatch value: Definitely rewatchable.

Overall, I did not rate this a perfect 10 stars because it was too short lol. Or perhaps they could've have made the last episode longer to give a more proper conclusion and ending. It felt a little abrupt.

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more than just romance

This is a story about Sugihara Kohei, who has hearing problems, and his coincidental meeting with Sagawa Taichi, a cheerful and loud guy who completely changes his life and fills his loneliness and insecurity.

I don't feel like I'm watching a BL series with this one. The romance isn't the main focus or highlight. Instead, the series aims to raise public awareness about disabilities, showing the importance of sympathy and empathy. Learning sign language has always been my dream. This is a VERY WONDERFUL STORYLINE. Both main characters play their roles perfectly, and I love their chemistry. The scenes are well-organized and placed thoughtfully. I also like how it shows other characters without overshadowing the main ones.

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