(Jmovie Review) I Don’t Love You Yet

Original title:  Boku wa Mada Kimi o Aisanai Koto ga Dekiru   (僕はまだ君を愛さないことができる)

Adapted from Taiwanese drama: In Time with You

Network: Fuji TV

Episodes: 16

Duration: 46 minutes

Aired: July 15 – September 2, 2019

Genre: Friendship, romance, josei

Casts:

Adachi Rika as Yo Mitarai

Jin Shirasu as Ren Ishida

Asaka Kodai as Ryusei Mizusawa

Sakuma Yu as Yu Narumi

Matsumoto Kiyo as Kono Maki

I have just finished reading a novel about a hidden love between two best friends. I also just finished watching a Korean drama entitled Strong Woman Do Bong Soon (oh my, it’s been a while I don’t watch a Korean drama). It is so entertaining and light, and sweet, and happy ever after that I miss Japanese drama with bitter ending. LOL. Those two have similar theme, that is, an unrequited love that has been kept for quite long time between best friends. Similar to the previous book and drama I mentioned, this Japanese adaptation from Taiwan has the same theme. Actually, I’m already bloated with this kind of theme. But, I have started watching it, and of course I want to see the ending.

Yo Mitarai, just celebrated her 29^th birthday when she got a challenge from her life-time best friend, Ren Ishida: whoever get married before 31^st, he or she must give 100.000 yen as a congratulatory gift. Who wouldn’t want it? That’s why, they try their best to beat each other. Hahaha…

For your information, Yo and Ren have been friends for almost 15 years starting high school. Yo, who was a transferred student, got bullied from her friends from being brave. Ren, the quiet and understanding student in the class, rescued Yo from the bullies. From then on, they become friends with one condition that Ren wouldn’t fall for Yo. Yo was really attractive that she assumed that Ren must have an ulterior motive getting close to her. But Ren promised that he wouldn’t fall for Yo. For 15 years they have been together, I don’t think that they never have feelings toward each other. The problem is, their feelings don’t come at the same time. One time, Yo got a boyfriend, got a broken heart, then Ren came to her. But, there’s someone close to Ren at that time. When Ren got a broken heart, Yo was the only one providing her shoulder for Ren. It went on and on until 15 years. Can you imagine?

“Love is all about feeling, timing and happening.” The quot seems fit to Yo and Ren. And all other best friends different gender around the world. Including you, and you and me. Lol.

Watching the series for almost 12 episodes, to be honest, their relationship seems sweet but at the same, it’s tiring. Ren’s mantra saying “I don’t love you yet” over and over again seems to be an escape from being scared of rejection. He must have known that Yo’s love story never ends sweet. He’s been there as Yo’s shoulder when she cries. Why didn’t he confess his feeling sooner? His realization of his own feeling towards Yo is too late. Well, I know that love confession is never easy if it comes between best friends. But to see your best friend got hurt every time, and complained about being single at her age while confirming to be always together forever is sick. Both of them are sick. Sorry to say this.

Aside from that, there are some things I enjoy from his drama is the chemistry between Yo and Ren. Rika Adachi and Jin Shirasu fit to each other as best friends. It will be much easier and nicer to see them end up together as a couple (which is I’m sure they will at the end of the episode. Lol). Other than that, I always look for Gaku, Yo’s brother. He’s kind of person of a hikikomori, or an otaku who is crazy about bugs (or cockroach? I forgot 😅😅). (oh, my, why do I suddenly remember Wataru in Lupin no Musume?)

When she pours out her complaints, I think she never looks at her listener, Ren 😒

People change, Yo, including people's heart. 

Another thing in enjoy from the drama is the love of shoes for Yo. I never thought there would be someone obsessed with shoes so much starting from she was child. Just like typical Japanese drama character who always works hard, Yo is really into stylish shoes and later the shoes making. Maybe that kind of character is easily found in Asian drama, but shoes as the background is interesting. Rika Adachi as Yo Mitarai performed well here. I cannot compare her character with the ones from Taiwan and Korea version since I don’t watch them. She’s cute and seems relaxed around Ren Ishida. It looks like they have been real friends outside the drama. One thing I don’t like from her is her almost late realization of her own feeling to Ren. If only the drama is not Taiwanese adaptation, I’m not sure if the drama has happy ending. Lol. Well, you know Japanese dramas always have realistic but bitter ending.

Awwww.... Look at the way Ren looks at Yo....

It's not love? You must be joking. Ren...

Ren Ishida’s job is something related to setting up some buildings. Some episodes have him as the main character with his job background but I couldn’t get the idea of it. Sorry, Ren 😁😁😁 Frankly, I’m a bit amazed with Jin Shirasu’s transformation. Well, I don’t watch him in many dramas. All I remember is one side character from old drama, Happi Mari. He’s someone who had the shoulder to cry on for the female lead. Do you think he suits to have the similar role? Lol. He looks mature and manly in this drama. Awwww…. 😍😍 I like his character here as Ren, a best friend who keeps his feeling to his best friend. How he endured his feeling when he got close to Yo, how he calmed down Yo at the same time he suppressed his feeling to confess that the best man for Yo is he himself. It was heart breaking to see him writing postcards to Yo but never posted them. 😢😢😢

Oh, my, your timing is not right, Ren...

Awkward, but sweet. Why didn't they just ... Oh, well..

I also enjoy watching other characters here, like Yu Narumi, and the one from Shanghai, Ren’s partner in workplace. Their appearance in this drama lifts a bit of tiresome caused by Yo-Ren never-confessed-feeling-to-each-other. Lol. Obviously, ikemen appearance is a treat. 😅😅😅

The Shanghai guy, Ren's workmate

Narumi Yu, Yo's previous crush 

To make my babbling short, the drama is entertaining, sweet but a bit tiring in some parts, especially when Yo’s ex showed up. LOL. What I did while watching the drama is fast forward the cheesy drama he created. I screamed in joy when Gaku, Yo’s older brother disapproved his Yo’s relationship. Hahahaha… the 15 episode-drama seems too long for this kind of theme. Maybe it’s because the original drama had 16 episodes, too. But I think it’s better to adjust with the typical duration of Japanese drama. Episodes 12-14 are really tiring and boring for me. I only want to see more of Yo-Ren. I just want to jump to eps 16, the ending. Lol. Oya, speaking about jumping, I also love to fast forward the first two minutes of the drama. The 2-minute-introduction about Yo-Ren is too long for me. Lol.

Note:

Anyone can help me find the name of the actor plying as Ren’s partner in Shanghai? Domo arigato

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