Was It The Real Ending?

I don't know what I expected from this drama, however.... it wasn't what I watched. I don't know if this story exceeded or met or fell below any or all expectations that I had, though it did fall in the range of "extraordinary" and "thrilling".

This story was very well cast, at first I wasn't sure if a few cast members were the right choice, though the more I continued to watch, the more I was proven wrong. I haven't watched the first series of "Kurosagi" yet, even though I've planned to, so I'm not entirely sure how this remake matches or creates its own story with the original. The music really added to fueling up anticipation for the next episode so much that I'm still looking forward to more stories of Kurosaki, Yoshikawa, Kashina, and everyone else!

I'm curious about the role of the professor at Yoshikawa-san's college, however; I feel like that part could have been played up a bit more, though I can see why it wasn't toward the end. While there didn't seem to be any cliffhanger, per say, the last episode definitely left me wanting more! I'm glad there wasn't a strong romance side story within this show, I think it would have made the storyline a bit complicated and maybe even a little cheesy.

I really liked watching Hirano Sho's take on his character. Seeing his personality come through and the way he portrayed such strong, intense, scary emotions and roles in each episode was really spectacular. I wonder If this show was tough; emotionally, mentally, or even physically. There are a few parts I wish they drew out longer, or gave more definition too, including a few characters, too.

This show really is one of a kind, keeping in mind I haven't seen the first series that started it all. Watching the cast put their unique spin on each story was fascinating. Though I do have a few questions left, I'm not disappointed with how things turned out, so much as I feel like there should have been more to the story; it sort of felt like, toward the end, that there was a rush on time or something like that. I think this show has great rewatching power, and it is most definitely one of my favorites of Hirano Sho's. I think he was supposed to be something of the "main cast/headliner" for this series, although I don't think that would be fair to the rest of the cast selected; everyone was truly incredible! It was nice to see a new side of Hirano Sho, and a few other actors I like, too.

This story definitely leaves you thinking!

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The In Between

The story and stories within the 6 episodes of this show far exceeded my expectations. We all have loved ones, friends and family, arguments and happiness, internal conflicts, external conflicts, dreams and ideals, thoughts and convictions, worries and fears... That's obvious. However, what isn't obvious, is the in-between....

Watching each flight arrive and each case being handled with the utmost respect, care, and genuine humanity was truly something to watch; it shook me to my core through and through. Some stories are a little harder to watch than others, so keep that in mind as you watch; but each story has importance, and relevance, and watching the Angel's Hearse team take care of each person, each soul, was truly an artform.

The cast assembled was perfect for this one-of-a-kind, most extraordinary show told by an incredible cast. Each member seems to have their own story of why they joined the company, Angel's Hearse, and the mystery behind those reasons for each character helped to fuel the curiosity of each episode; the expectation of what may come or what would happen. As I continued to watch, it truly felt like the "celebrity" of the actors fell away and they devoted their entire self to creating a "happy ending" for each soul coming home.

Watching as Takaki Rinko grew through the episodes to "find her place" in her new job was very relatable. Not everyone has a place to belong but slowly, with each new experience, and cautious step, she creates a space that is all her own. Taking care of the deceased is not an easy job, no matter the relation or reason they passed or job connection or whatever else, to be close to any deceased of any time for any reason is difficult and gutwrenching; to be able to do Angel Hearse's job, even as actors with written scripts, was not only extraordinarily incredible but also fascinating. This show expertly shows the reality of anger, depression, fear, joy, doubt, and human connection. The writing is most definitely unique and truly special, absolutely and equivocally a gut-wrenching, heartbreaking show full of stories that show how life can go from the mundane to the extreme, from pure bliss to complete sadness, from knowing everything to the confusion of so many unanswered questions.

This story is one of the most relatable, true-to-life shows I have ever watched. Unfortunately, there is one worry: a cliffhanger. Each episode is full of laughter, tears, and epic storytelling. Honestly, it was like watching a true life story. I would love to watch more of this show, to see more of these characters' doing their utmost best to take care of each lost soul returning home.

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Some Lives Can't Be Saved...?? Or Can They?

In all honesty, I procrastinated watching this show because I assumed it would be a little too scary for my tastes, not to mention way too cheesy and over-the-top unrealistic. However... I was completely mistaken and completely mindblown!


The attention to detail, the cast, and the genuine reality of the word "emergency" brought to life was done so realistically and honestly that I had to remind myself, multiple times, "no this didn't really happen if it did i definitely would have seen it on the news"...... In all seriousness, the stories within each episode were truly epic. Sure a few bits and pieces of the episode, or the emergency scene(s), were exaggerated but nothing was too unrealistic, nothing was too "hollywood cheesy", and pretty much everything made sense as the episode and the story as a whole continued on. The medical jargon is a little hard to follow, but they don't use it too often and theres no cluttering of the screen with long definitions. It really is like watching a live medical rescue.


The casting was a little more than half of the reason why I continued watching, too. I didn't realize Kaname Jun was in this series, even though I've poured over the cast list a few times, but his stern, stoic, and kind character was a good balance between reality and television stories. I wasn't sure about Suzuki Ryohei, but watching him act opposite Kaku Kento as both their characters and as their own person was incredible. I have to say that I see them both in a new light and am excited to see them in many more roles, even ones that I don't expect or agree with.


The opposing of good and evil, or "i'm scared" or "i hate this" and "i'm proud of this job" or "i have confidence/trust i can do this" was fascinating to watch build within each MER team member. I do like that the show seemed to prioritize the story as a whole and did not delve too deep into filler episodes of past lives; though that doesn't mean they never did, it was just done efficiently and almost privately, as if revealing bits and pieces until the big climax moment for each character, the episode, or the show's finale.


If you like thrilling mysteries, epic adventure, medical dramas, then I definitely suggest giving this show a try! My only complaint? The finale episode wasn't long enough. Hah!


Although, there are a few more stories to be seen in the TOKYO MER special, spin-off, and movie!

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Love School or Magic?

This may be one of the best roles I have seen Hongo Kanata in; it was as if Ueno-san was written specifically for Hongo-san. The way he portrayed such an "evil-yet-kind-hearted" character was truly one of a kind, very unique, genuinely relatable, and even, at times, a little funny.


Watching "Ichijo-kun" go through the motions of all the trials and tribulations of dating was hard to watch, and again, sometimes funny, and a little sneaky. However, none of the "lessons" felt cheesy or like they were a little too "snake-like". It seemed like all, or most, of the lessons learned throughout this show could be used in any type of relationship... Though, not in their entirety...


While this story seemed a bit exaggerated at first, toward the middle it all seemed to balance out as the episodes continued and what became the finale was something really spectacular. I have to say, I laughed a lot during this show, though watching the touching-heart-felt moments and the bittersweet-unfortunate moments really added to the show's authenticity. The ending was a bit of a cliffhanger, but even if it didn't end the way it did.... I would still definitely want to see more of Gotanda Kingdom!

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Medical Misfits Turned Heroes?

The stories that took place during this show were nail bitting, gut wrenching, realistically terrifying, and completely had me on the edge of my seat fascinated! I truly never knew what was going to happen next.


At the beginning I was unsure of the cast (like "should so-and-so really be in this story or he/she/they may be better), however as each episode began and the story, as a hole, progressed, I could see how each and every cast member (from the main to the supporting cast) fell in to their own pace and the cast, as a whole, created a rapport with each other so well that it was as if they were truly nurses and doctors. Each case went from calm to terrifying and back to calm dramatically, however that doesn't mean that out of the hospital was a "smooth ride down easy street" either. The balance between work and personal lives was so realistic that I could truly sympathize and empathize with both doctors, nurses, firemen, emt's/paramedics, patients, and the friends and family of each.


The music really helped to fuel a lot of the roller coaster like ups and downs in this show. I really never expected a lot of what occurred throughout each episode; including extreme dislike for two of the characters.


I wish the ending was a little different and the show was a little longer. Japan honestly knows how to create an epic medical drama/movie without it all becoming too cheesy or unrealistic or completely fake. (America not so much...)


I truly enjoyed learning throughout the stories too. Each patients medical care was excellent! Honestly I thought I was watching a documentary or reality show. I like how they showed just enough "gore" to explain/show how traumatic the case was without going overboard; though there were a few cases were I was curious if something like what happened to a patient was writer made or truth.


I believe the cast makes this story excel, though the writing and filming is also extraordinary!

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Threw Me for a Loop

This story was definitely something special. The creators, staff, actors, and everyone involved took their time to create something incredible! There are similar story lines out there, absolutely, however this one is most certainly in a stage of its own.


Each episode really built up the suspense until the final moment, and I could never guess, not even once, what was actually going on. The cast was really interesting; I feel like the "journalist" character could have been a little less "main character", however. Though, after watching the show in its entirety, the "journalist" character was someone necessary to the story, too.


Watching each case unfold was extremely fascinating, too. Seeing each surgery and the story behind it, especially while the main mystery was building up, was really exciting and had me sitting on the edge of my seat in anticipation of what would happen next!


The ending was a surprise that I never imagined, let alone saw, coming. This story left me wanting more from both the actors cast as their characters and the "Dr. Chocolate" team! If you're interested in medical dramas or stories full of suspense that give you goosebumps or an eccentric cast, then this show is a must watch!

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Full of Twists and Turns and Hopeful for More!

This story is one of the most realistically honest, bittersweet, dramatically epic, extremely thrilling stories I have seen in a long time; each episode was incredible! Watching each episode's story unfold was truly fascinating. The ego, or should I say arrogance... Or maybe... The confidence of the people involved in each story was surreal.

This story is one of the most captivating and curious stories I have watched in a very long time. It was exciting to see a few of my favorite actors in roles that were enthralling and seemed to be written for them to act in as if to show off their skills and talents.

Each episode took my breath away, like a punch to the stomach. Watching the team work together through their past(s) and proceed in their future(s) was mesmerizing; the way they moved through society and their personal lives was curious, almost like watching two different people cast for one role; like twins or parallel universe situations. The Twilight Zone comes to mind.

I don't want to get future viewers' hopes up for "100% happy endings" and this isn't exactly as dark as the synopsis says it is, though watching the risks each story's cast takes on has been immensely scary and has kept me on the edge of my seat the entire show. The story had a lot of hilarious moments as well, including a few that I believe could only have been pulled off by the selected cast members. Especially Fujiwara Tatsuya, his dead-pan reactions were amazing. I also found a few other actors to follow and a few more that I already knew of that completely surprised me with their talents. It was nice to see familiar faces expanding their talents in similar areas/casting while also showing completely different sides of themselves.

The ending was not at all what I expected! Honestly, this story is something special an intriguing; not one to be missed!

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Surprise~

This show delivered the most unsuspecting twist I've seen recently... Completely blindsided me!


However, in all honesty, at the beginning, it was hard to fully get into. Through no fault of the cast though; the cast assembled was fantastic! Watching their special skills and unique talents come into play was almost tangible throughout each episode. While this story did have some familiarity with other Japanese detective/crime/police/mystery stories or plot lines, this show really stood alone on its own two feet quite well!


I would have liked to of seen more back story in to a few characters, and because this show and its characters were incredible to watch, it also would have been nice to see a few more episodes before the big dramatic ending. I have to say the finale was a little anticlimactic, but the cliffhanger most definitely left me with an emphasized feeling of wanting more.


Each character really held their own individuality with pride and it was almost like they were showing off. Watching them all work alone but towards the finale come together like perfect puzzle pieces to create such an extraordinary story was fascinating to watch! Made me wish there was more story for Miki Clinic; it was very obvious that the show was created with a lot of respect and care.


I never could have guessed the final though. I definitely thought the "criminal mastermind" was someone else, though the "big trouble" was kind of generic to other stories, it sort of felt like they were going one way with the story and then said "ah yes, we'll just add this in right here and over there", not as a last minute they forgot feeling, but more so they weren't sure how to add it in or where to begin with the mysterious "big trouble". I hope that mind sense!


I know my reviews aren't the most literary or movie perfection, but maybe my more simple reviews help someone out there. This show really does have a fantastic story, so I hope you'll give it a chance!

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I'm really glad....~

I am thrilled that I began this story, the twists and turns were like a roller coaster and it truly felt like the fine line between the predictable and the unknown was held in high regard while the show was being created. While there are familiarities within the second season just like the first, I could never truly predict what would happen next! This second season, however, left a bit of space for a cliffhanger, unfortunately.


I enjoy watching Masuda Takahisa act, and with each role, it appears that he is only getting better. No matter the role he is cast in, it is very obvious that he is putting in a lot of hard work, diligence, respect, and raw unfiltered honesty of his self as he creates each character and the story(ies) they live in.


Watching Ukisho Hidaka and Nakayama Yuma was a treat as well, they are very skilled actors and seemed to immerse themselves within their roles as if they were acting as their true selves. Which is kind of scary if you watch the show. However, both Ukisho Hidaka and Nakayama Yuma have piqued my interest in Shikigami-ryu, wondering if it is a real thing or if it is just something created for the show/story. Watching Ukisho Hidaka and Nakayama Yuma train during the two seasons was so extraordinary; watching the way their bodies moved in deliberate yet effortless movements of strength was truly a beautiful art.


In all honesty, part(s) of me could guess what was going to happen but the show continuously threw in a wrench just as I thought "aha! thats the explanation" and whatever I thought went out the window as completely wrong. But, again, there were some predictable moments, too. So I think it will differ for each viewer.


I really enjoyed how they worked in the "fantasy" pieces of the story. The writer(s), director(s), staff, actors, and so on, truly weaved in those moments with the reality of what was happening during the story. It was almost tangible the pride every person involved with this show, from season one to season two, took in their work to tell an intriguing, curious, suspenseful story that would leave viewers grasping at straws for answers.

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Curiouser and Curiouser....

The second series was just as epic and thrilling as the first! While I do wish it was like the first series, with different mysteries inside each episode, to watch what transpired in this series was incredible and had me guessing on the edge of my seat up until the very end of the last episode. In all honesty, while I do think it was a little anticlimactic, I do like the ending for what it is.

I wish there was more to this series, though the end doesn't feel like a cliffhanger; the story was just so amazing with each new cast member and/or piece added to the puzzle. While a little of this series felt familiar, it didn't feel rushed or over-done, or too cheesy, like it was a last minute thought. It was kind of expectant, though, in some places. After watching the first and second series, this show has made me want to watch more shows/movies/specials with Inoo Kei, Jinguji Yuta, Okada Yui, Yoshizawa Hisashi, Koike Teppei, and Suga Kenta. This cast fit their characters so well! Watching the mannerisms of each person and how they brought their characters to life, from the personality to emotions to how they supported each other or acted while on their own, was truly amazing to watch. It definitely didn't feel like watching one episode alone, it sort of melted together like a movie or special episode.


I wish there was more to this story. It was really fascinating to learn about Japanese history, myths, legends, and the supernatural. While the show as a whole does get a bit scary in places, it's not terrifying and definitely not something I would skip watching even if you're afraid of a lot of thrilling or suspenseful shows. The ending was interesting, it was nice to see something anticlimactic actually, as odd as that sounds. I would like to see a follow up, a lot; if only because I truly enjoyed their story!

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Like a Roller Coaster

As the headline says, this show really starts out pretty "normal", slowly growing with each episode to become a spectacular dive in to an incredible story.

While I have seen a few Japanese myths, legends, and/or curses told within dramas, anime, manga, variety shows, movies, or even music videos, the way they are told during this series is completely different. I tried looking in to the manga that this show is based off of, and after reading a few chapters came to the decision (or realization maybe) that this show is telling the same story but in its own way. I can honestly say that I have never seen anything like this show!

The cast created a beautiful, gut wrenching, thrilling, suspenseful story that really had me on the edge of my seat toward the end. I do like that they didn't toss in a lot of cheesy romance or "bromance" inuendos, they did show a couple but they did it tastefully, I think. This story seemed to bring different types of "romance" to light, such as a "bromance" or "friendship" or "community". It was really wonderful to watch the story grow from one little track to a large hill up until the dramatic ending.

The charm of this show I think is that its familiar, we've all heard stories like these before, however, the way the extraordinary cast pull the entire show together really is a testament to their hardwork, character(s), and trust between themselves, the other cast members, and staff.

This show had a wonderful balance of "funny" to "dramatic" to "majorly serious" not only throughout the entire series, but sometimes within one episode. I really enjoyed seeing the strong female characters, as well. While I believe that the last episode ended things quite well, I do have some lingering questions that I wish could be answered. I know there's a second season, but I kind of wish there was a special episode or movie in between or even after the second season.


Truly this show is one epic story to not be missed, especially if you are fans of the two lead actors or even if you are new to watching Japanese dramas and/or movies. There wasn't anything truly terrifying in this show, but I do have to say some moments in the episodes definitely had me covering my eyes! Seriously, give this show a chance, you will not be disappointed!

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Left wanting more...

I enjoy the manga this series is based on so I was nervous about watching, however, I can tell you that I was extremely and pleasantly surprised about how each episode came together. Though I'm not too sure I will have a lot to say in this review, only because I feel like the show itself, or maybe it's the story, was too short, but here is what I thought....


I really enjoyed watching Hashimoto Ryo and Takaishi Akari in their roles, especially as I continued with each episode. I haven't seen either of them in a show or movie before, and I usually stick to show's where I know most of the actors, so it was very refreshing to see some new faces. Especially because they both really managed to act out their roles similar to how the manga characters are. I think the story itself is new, I do remember some episodes or pieces of the episodes that were in the manga, but because each actor/actress brought the character to life while simultaneously showing themselves as well, I believe the live-action is an incredibly real, honest, relatable, genuine journey through high school, the awkward years, and the difficulties in growing up (not to mention over coming issues from the past).


I do wish that there were more episodes, I feel like there is so much left to say and I wish that we could have seen a few more characters from the manga make an appearance. I don't feel like there are any questions left to answer, other than I wanted to see more acting from Hashimoto Ryo and Takaishi Akari both as themselves and as their characters, Haiba Jin and Ochiai Mikoto. Watching this show felt like watching the manga come to life, I believe the embodiment of the characters from the manga and the creation of them in live-action form was spectacular, fascinating to watch, and most definitely full of charm. I really hope there will be more to this story; I also wonder why they stopped at 9 episodes.


Apparently I had a lot to say.... Oops....

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Reality Check

*** POSSIBLE SPOILERS ***

The story for this show was truly spectacular and one of the most honestly unique yet real "true-to-life" stories I have seen in a long time. Granted it may just be my personal bias since recently I've also moved and had to go through combining households, which is tricky for any situation.

The family in this story is relatively close and friendly with each other, however, you can tell from the beginning that each member also had their own worries and challenges they kept secret, making it even more difficult for them to fully immerse themselves immediately into the "2.5 household".


Watching each character find their own pace and place within the newly built home/family was gut-wrenching and even a little heartbreaking, yet also very relatable. Watching Ema-chan go through such a big family change while going through her own turbulent private, personal growth and change was extremely relatable and made me feel so very proud of her when watching her character grow. The same goes for Masaharu-san, too; I felt attached to both him and Ema-chan, they both seemed to bring to light sides of me from when I'm depressed or overwhelmed, and even sides of myself from when I was younger. I apologize if I sound like a broken record here.


Watching the family dynamic from an outsider's point of view was truly wonderful. While there were some relatable things, there were also some moments that felt like there was a "lesson" to be learned. Though, not so much so that it felt pushy or more prominent than the story or overbearing. It was nice to see a family gathering together, even while in their own spaces, to grow as their own person and to strengthen the family without such strong feelings that overtook the show or warped the story into something completely different.


I truly enjoyed this show. It was a very calming, relatable, genuine, open, honest, funny, and comforting show to watch, while also bringing up some questions for myself, and for society as a whole on how we treat people or help people different than ourselves. After all... "what is diversity?"

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