Zíza

The series grabbed me right from the start because it finally felt like a real couple, nothing contrived or extravagant. Finally a couple that enjoyed each other's presence without having to go to a festival, buy couple’s clothing, ... Their dating just felt natural, as did the evolution of their relationship. They were so cute together, they put me in a good mood. Unfortunately, then it all came crashing down and instead of the beneficial rain came the destructive sun. Around the tenth episode I really stopped enjoying it and suddenly wondered where their rational thinking had gone. By the end I had somehow finished it and I'm not disappointed, basically it's a very poetically made series that is unfortunately set in a standard narrative framework. I liked that it was adult – they didn't shy away from sex, they talked about their problems together (at least in the beginning), they discussed a lot of things together, and the influence of work was mixed in there too, offering an opportunity to criticize the current structure of Korean society (sexual harassment). Very well acted, great music, interesting characters (although I found some of them annoying, I understood how they worked and why they were like that, you could say it was a bit of a showcase of all the different people one can meet in Korea). Great start, but it got ragged towards the end. Basically, we end up at the beginning – in the rain. A weaker 4 stars.

Hilarious, incredibly well cast, I even liked the childhood part (which I usually find to be the weakest part of these morning dramas, but it was fine here, and Suzuki Rio is incredibly cute). I let the opening titles play every time, because they were so fitting for the whole story. I'm not surprised it was so popular in Japan, because they really know how to get to you, and when you want to warm up in the morning, there's nothing better than putting on these chests on because Asa really took off. A person just needs inspiration in life, you need a drive to recharge. That's what Asa provided. Very nice.

It flowed nicely, you kind of fall into it at the beginning and let the story take you where it takes you. I'll admit that, for me, it's probably the best movie in the whole dubious Marvel universe. So I'm curious to see what's in store for us next year. You can think about it a lot and spin wild theories with friends (without the internet, without knowing the source material to enjoy it more). Sad scenes, funny, predatory, emotionally blackmailing, artificial, natural, awkward, uber stilted ... it's got it all. It's really good to watch in the theaters.

A generic high school spectacle where the students are still so naive, they get drunk on sweet talk and are full of hope (it will pass, darlings, once you start looking for a job, all hope will disappear from your hearts!) A big selling point is the cast – really the stars of 2016/2017. Otherwise, it's kind of average in the genre, nothing outstanding, slightly lengthy. A weaker 3 stars.

I really like movies like this. Lots of stories that intertwine, interact, without maybe the actors, the "fated ones" knowing each other. This is the kind of pleasant respite that doesn't ask you to do anything. It just tells you: "Sit back and let yourself get carried away, and sometimes even moved." The cast wasn't bad, and every part is really fun to watch. Nishida did what he had to do perfectly, in fact no one lagged behind, quite the opposite. Even for the moment she was there, I enjoyed the great Suzuki Rio yet again; that girl simply knows how to do it (she was amazing in Asa ga kita too, there she perhaps didn’t quite pull off the sobbing, but here she did it incredibly, melted my heart). I just recommend it as an unpretentious film that can warm you up.

It dragged on for an awfully long time, even though the whodunit was clear halfway through because there was simply no one else left. They all had their psychological scars and we the audience watched and suffered with them at times. Yes, it's definitely an interesting subject, but it had too many episodes, even though the Japanese usually make shorter series than the Koreans; two episodes fewer and it would immediate have been better. Basically, the whole thing was a tragedy. Not a particularly bad one, but nothing miraculous either. Nozawa could have done it better.

Such a gentle spectacle with that rather characteristic Shōjo animation – lots of bubbles and glitter, but the backgrounds are bland and often static. It doesn't really matter here, because it's all about the rain, finding yourself against a backdrop of what many would consider to be very strange and disparate loves. Each episode goes by quickly, so you gobble up these cherries without even realizing it, but unfortunately you may get the feeling that you haven't actually learned anything. Still, it's the kind of sweet thing that doesn't push the envelope, the heroine is her own person and doesn't let it get to her, for which I have to give a thumbs up. It's a completely human show and I wouldn't look for any drama behind it. It was nice and I am looking forward to the live-action treatment, because this could look very good in it.

Unnecessarily overcomplicated, perhaps even pretending to be complicated at trivialities, which tends to be a malady of many similar Japanese series. Basically, it doesn't stand out from the ranks of these in any way: either with its animation, music, or story. It's actually kind of an average show, but if you're not used to crime dramas, it'll may have something new to offer you. 50%.

GReeeeN and their Kiseki are very cool, learning about their origins was also very cool. Suda's just an actor who obviously knows how to act, so I just hope he doesn't get burned out in the flood of projects he's doing. An enjoyable film with biographical elements, but given the lyrics of the song, it was just a bit too cold – it felt too real, and lacked the enthusiasm and verve I associate with the song. But if you want a relatively slick film with no overacting or grand gestures, this is definitely it. Slight spoiler! I actually learned through this movie that the band GReeeeN, despite their popularity, is actually unknown, no one knows what the members look like because they're all dentists. Cool. A strong 3 stars.

Like the Japanese version – the beautiful images of all four versions, but as Jirka writes, this version is more focused on the story. The Japanese film is about hints of what might have happened to the main character; it's more focused on food, nature, harmony, peace of mind. It's a man of few words. On the other hand, the Korean film has a lot to say, it doesn't have as much calm. If you're into a story that's clear, reach for this one; if you're more into cooking, peace, a stronger connection with nature, reach for the Japanese version. It's a passing slice of life, so it may be a hell of a bore for some – watch out for that. :-) 60%.