Spring 2004
Orange Days' plot is centered around a group of college students that are nearing graduation and are struggling to figure out what they want to do with their lives. Yuuki Kai (Tsumabuki Satoshi) is a social welfare psychology student trying to find a job with little luck. One day he meets Hagio Sae (Shibasaki Kou) playing the violin on campus. He is inspired by her talent but she is already intending to sell her violin because she lost her sense of hearing. Coincidentally Kai's friend, Yashima Keita (Eita) asks her out on a date but later begs Kai to go out with her instead after finding out about her hearing loss. Kai is forced to meet Sae at an amusement park and he doesn't know that it is Sae that Keita asked out. They eventually get to know each other better and Kai's knowledge of sign language helps their relationship as they go through ups and downs trying to figure out if they are truly compatible with each other.
Recommendation: Another drama with a talented group of actors. I heard some good things about Orange Days, but I was skeptical after hearing that the story revolves around a deaf girl. I'm not very fond of dramas when a main character has a disability because it can be frustrating to watch and some stories end up being really sad. That said, this series had a lot to offer with a strong love story, likable characters, and good acting. I think Tsumabuki Satoshi is a solid actor, but I don't know if it's his face or the way he acts, but his characters seem so normal and he doesn't bring a lot of excitement to the table. I really liked Shibasaki Kou and her intensity even when she didn't speak much at all. I thought it was an overall average drama, until one scene at the end of episode 7 pulled at my heart strings and I may have shed a tear. I also really liked the intimate scenes because they didn't seem forced. Some kissing scenes in other dramas just look terrible, but it seemed more natural in Orange Days with Kai and Sae. I have to put this one in the 5 crown category as it reminded me of my college days and the feeling of timelessness that went with it. The ending theme song, Sign, by Mr. Children didn't hurt either.
STORY: 1.0
ACTING: 1.0
DIRECTING: 1.0
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT: 1.0
EMOTIONAL FACTOR: 1.0
5.0 Out Of 5.0 Crowns
The first few scenes of Orange days looks bit dated, but once you get pass that, the story really pulls you in. I started liking Satoshi after this. Its sad not to see him do more drama these day. slow dance is also a good drama to watch :)
ReplyDeleteI have heard of slow dance. I will try to check it out soon.
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