Love Shuffle

Originally posted on: 29 July 2013

Reposted on: 7 August 2013

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YAY, PANDA!

I reckoned watching Love Shuffle because of Karina. And boy, it was so much fun. I laughed a lot and hard that I even cried. Their idea – love shuffle – was crazy but it was fun. The characters all have their stories and were all interesting. And their interaction/relationship with each other was equally amusing. I just got so absorbed that I still can’t get it off my head. *plays Eternal Flame*

As soon as I finished the pilot episode, I knew it’s gonna be fun. As early as that, I already cried because I laughed hard. It’s on the elevator scene. Just the thought of their plan.. Can’t even..

I’ve already seen Hiroshi Tamaki as Chiaki in Nodame Cantabile and Karina in Bambino! as well as Summer Nude [pilot ep]. Their characters in those dramas were so cool, especially Chiaki. So when I saw them as Uta-san and Ai-ai, respectively, I was sort of blown away. That scene when they were discovered by Kiku-rin looking at the photo, they were just so funny. These actors are versatile.

 

Love Shuffle was obviously a romantic-comedy but there were also a number of serious matters in this drama. There’s psychology, psychiatry, sociology, some political, and suspense. It was like a pizza. It was so amusing.

Each character was likeable. But if you pay close attention, there were some with traits that were annoying. I just took it as if having friends who are bare with their weaknesses. My favourite female character was Aizawa Airu (Karina). I love that she was straightforward. Like me, she wasn’t also trying to be cute making me like her more. But even she had things I don’t particularly agree with. I don’t like how she starts a relationship, as pointed out by Kikuta Masato (Tanihara Shosuke).

Kikuta or Kiku-rin was one amusing character. He seemed to be the most mature of them all, but I think that’s only because he’s a professional. Still, even though he’s a psychiatrist, I’m bothered with how he’s uncertain with some things when most or a lot of people in his profession could answer. But as the episodes went on, I thought it only showed him as an honest person, a genuine character. A lot of people assume the answer to things but don’t really act on what they know. Among the pairings, I liked him most with Kamijyo Reiko (Kojima Hijiri). I’m referring to their interaction with one another. I think its because they can both reach a common sensible level. Besides, a doctor-patient interaction should be left professionally.

Like Aizawa [read: Karina is in Summer Nude with Yamashita Tomohisa, who played Aizawa-sensei in Code Blue. So imagine my kilig.], Reiko was straightforward though not as blunt. As for Kagawa Mei (Kanjiya Shihori), I was bothered with her thought-process regarding romantic relationship.

I guess the same can be said of Usami Kei (Hiroshi). I didn’t like him most for his simple-mindedness and how he refused to at least understand complex reality.

Although Usami and Oishi Yukichi (DAIGO) were cute as Tara-chans, I didn’t like them individually. Not always though. Well I guess I just couldn’t bring myself to like guys like them. Yes, even when/if Usami gets serious.

I’ve already seen the other works of Yoshitaka Yuriko: Bokura ga Ita and GANTZ, so I was looking forward to her character as Hayakawa Kairi. As I watched her character, I kind of understand people who have the same condition as her. It also helped me see suicidal people’s train of thoughts in another light.

Like Karina, Hiroshi, and Yoshitaka, I’ve also seen Matsuda Shota in another drama before. Well, it was in Hana Yori Dango. If I thought his character as Nishikado Sojiro was interesting, him being Sera Ojiro was more interesting and fun. I also think he’s the one who keeps the relationship among the “pyjama party people” balanced. I’d love to have a friend like him, a friendship like they have. “Pyjama party” every now and then sounds fun.

It’s nice that four adult people are having the kind of relationship that they have. I’d like to have a friendship like that. That scene when the boys pledged to protect Airu was sweet. I hope my guy friends will offer the same, though I’m not really going to require them to save me. At least knowing that there’s someone willing is fine.