(Jdrama Review) From Me To You

 

Original title: Kimi ni Todoke ((君に届け)

12 episodes, March 30, 2023

The Plot

Well-meaning but socially awkward, Kuronuma Sawako is nicknamed "Sadako" by her high school classmates because of her similar hair style with the main character from the horror movie "Ring." She doesn't have friends and goes about her day in quiet. She admires a fellow classmate, Kazehaya Shota, because of his easy-going and friendly nature, but unknown to her, Kazehaya has also been paying attention to her.

(Source: MyDramaList)

The live action drama was based on a manga with the same title by Shiina Karuho released in 2005 until 2017. It was published by Shueisha with 30 tankobon volumes. It also got two anime adaptations produced by Production I. G in January 4, 2011. The live action movie was released in 2010 with Mikako Tabe and Miura Haruma as the main leads.

The live action movie in 2010

The anime adaptation

The manga cover

Frankly speaking, I'm not a big fan of the manga or the anime, or the movie. I just watched the live action movie since I love the main leads. The story itself is too shoujo manga for me. I'm not really complaining. actually, since these days I also watch a bunch of shoujo anime and read the manga with shoujo or josei  or romance as the main tags.

But I enjoy the drama version. I really did. I can say that all the characters have roles to tell, and that's interesting. Even the class teacher :D

The encounter between Kazehaya and Sawako at the beginning of the drama was very much alike the live action movie. However, I didn't find the sakura petal with love shape there :D

The scary Sawako actually didn't last that long since there were Yano and Chizuru who saw Sawako's pureness and made her as their friend. Soon enough, the whole class noticed how interesting Sawako was, with her awkward personality but sincere, good at teaching her friends, and her naivety. The rival both male and female, Kurumi and Kento, did a very good job so that the two main leads finally realized their feelings. Sweet. So, what else to tell if the the main leads had confessed to each other?

The drama has youth as one of the tags, so when the romance between the two main leads found each other, there were others to discuss: friendship, school, school/ college, family, and others. Kazehaya struggling to convince his father about his future choice, Yano with her choice of college that might separate them, Chizuru with her love life, etc. I thought, they all represented youth's problems.

The casts choice

Many people compared the choice of the casts. So did I. Sawako or Sadako was not the only one who was attracted to Kazehaya, in the movie, so was I. Miura Haruma had the attractive aura, the vibe of class center,  his smile seemed vibrated the whole surrounding. So sorry to say that I couldn't find the same vibe in Suzuka Ouji. I watched him in several drama like Silent, Horimiya, Kono Hatsukoi wa Fiction Desu. and first two episodes of Crosstail: Tantei Kyoushitsu. I think he suited as Horimiya but as Kazehaya, hmmm... he barely compared to Miura Haruma. Well, it's individual preference, right? But, Kazehaya in the movie didn't really discuss about the complexion in his family, especially his father. In this case, Suzuki Ouji delivered clueless Kazehaya well. 

As Sawako Kuronuma, I think, after watching the drama, Mikake Tabe was too beautiful as scary Sadako. How could her classmates ignore such a beauty even with her long-look-like-Sadako-hair? How could only Kazehaya find her attractive? Minami Sara could portray as awkward, naive, pure, and sincere Sawako. While watching the drama, I just wondered how could she set such expressions the whole time. LOL. Meanwhile, she performed cynical Terui in Themis no Kyoshitsu: Legal Seishun Hakusho. I can say she's amazing in her portraying as Sawako.

As other supporting roles, like Yano and Chizuru, I prefer the later Chizuru. She somehow reminds me of Tomo chan wa Onnanoko anime. The old Chizuru's face was too soft as a boyish character. For Yano, I don't have any complaints since they could show their girly flirtatious side without hard effort. But frankly, I got a bit bored with Kumada Rinka since I've been watching her from one drama to another drama from one season to another season. But her character as Yano here is a bit different from her previous ones. I hope she could choose more challenging and different roles in the future. 

Overall, just go watch this 11-episode-drama. It's available in movie streaming application  Netflix. Comparing from movie to drama was normal but I convince you that it's worth your time if you are up to slow youth romance drama. 

Story: 8/10

Casts/ acting: 8/10

Music: 7,5/10

Re-watch value: 7/10

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