Before taking a shower I would like to mention Taisetsu naKoto wa Subete Kimi ga Oshiete Kureta. It was a good drama and could have been soo much better had they not inserted Pink every freaking episode in the most awkward places. I swear if I ever hear Dear Mr. President again…sigh. Aside from that I kind of liked it a lot. There is a lot to think about. Although the main guy’s (Shuji’s) indecisiveness was a bit irritating, I respected it because it portrayed the truth. There are rarely times when we know what we want or what the right thing is.
The story begins with Shuji engaged to a fellow colleague (Natsumi), both working at a high school. Shuji awakes one morning to find himself in bed with a young girl (Masayo), whom turns out to be his student. I initially was rooting for Shuji and Masayo (I am a sucker for forbidden romance), but as the story progressed I found myself supporting Shuji and Natsumi. When Natsumi learns about the scandal, I was surprised by her initial reaction. She accepts him unconditionally, but eventually begins to hate him for giving up on their relationship. Instead of begging for forgiveness he decides to leave her as atonement. Thinking about it now, I wonder if she would have forgiven him as she said she would. Perhaps she would have ultimately left him if he decided to stay. No matter the case, she feels resentment because he was able to leave her so easily, as if their relationship had little value.
Aside from the Shuji-Natsumi dynamic, there was definitely tension between Natsumi and Masayo. There was even a moment in which I paused the show and literally spazzed. Somewhere in the drama Masayo states she admired Natsumi and in result wanted to destroy her. She ends up joining the basketball team to get closer to Natsumi (the coach). During a practice (with just the two of them), Masayo throws a ball directly into Natsumi’s face. To her dismay Natsumi just smiles. After freaking out a bit, I began to relate to Masayo. She is still far from being a grown up, and it was analogous to a child throwing a tantrum. Natsumi’s indifference makes it worse, because it forces Masayo to notice her own adolescence. Masayo throws the ball again and asks why Natsumi isn’t mad. She replies that she believes in Shuji (the power of love <3). As I realized that I accepted Natsumi’s support, the following crossed my mind. As a woman I should want to tell her to screw him, but somehow I couldn’t. She isn’t playing a jilted girl who only knows how to love; she is just a person that accepts that she can’t control her emotions…(interlude with a shower)
Shuji’s innocence in the whole ordeal is ultimately revealed. For the most part, I didn’t really suspect that the student and the teacher hadn’t had sex. I thought about it, but I loved the story so much more for having the possibility that they really did it. Why did they do it? What possible reason could there be? Is it really something that could be forgiven? I wonder how the story would have turned out. Would their relationship have survived if it had been true? Ah so many possibilities… Despite this, it is nice that the drama showed no intention of letting up. There are still consequences. His position as a teacher is put on probation, Masayo gets ostracized, and Natsumi-Shuji’s relationship is still in shambles. Natsumi still hates him for being so nice and not laying out his feelings. The interesting thing about hate though, is that it is so close to love. Oh, did I forget to mention that Natsumi is pregnant?! Gasp! Unpredicted plot twist for the win!
The story begins with Shuji engaged to a fellow colleague (Natsumi), both working at a high school. Shuji awakes one morning to find himself in bed with a young girl (Masayo), whom turns out to be his student. I initially was rooting for Shuji and Masayo (I am a sucker for forbidden romance), but as the story progressed I found myself supporting Shuji and Natsumi. When Natsumi learns about the scandal, I was surprised by her initial reaction. She accepts him unconditionally, but eventually begins to hate him for giving up on their relationship. Instead of begging for forgiveness he decides to leave her as atonement. Thinking about it now, I wonder if she would have forgiven him as she said she would. Perhaps she would have ultimately left him if he decided to stay. No matter the case, she feels resentment because he was able to leave her so easily, as if their relationship had little value.
Aside from the Shuji-Natsumi dynamic, there was definitely tension between Natsumi and Masayo. There was even a moment in which I paused the show and literally spazzed. Somewhere in the drama Masayo states she admired Natsumi and in result wanted to destroy her. She ends up joining the basketball team to get closer to Natsumi (the coach). During a practice (with just the two of them), Masayo throws a ball directly into Natsumi’s face. To her dismay Natsumi just smiles. After freaking out a bit, I began to relate to Masayo. She is still far from being a grown up, and it was analogous to a child throwing a tantrum. Natsumi’s indifference makes it worse, because it forces Masayo to notice her own adolescence. Masayo throws the ball again and asks why Natsumi isn’t mad. She replies that she believes in Shuji (the power of love <3). As I realized that I accepted Natsumi’s support, the following crossed my mind. As a woman I should want to tell her to screw him, but somehow I couldn’t. She isn’t playing a jilted girl who only knows how to love; she is just a person that accepts that she can’t control her emotions…(interlude with a shower)
Shuji’s innocence in the whole ordeal is ultimately revealed. For the most part, I didn’t really suspect that the student and the teacher hadn’t had sex. I thought about it, but I loved the story so much more for having the possibility that they really did it. Why did they do it? What possible reason could there be? Is it really something that could be forgiven? I wonder how the story would have turned out. Would their relationship have survived if it had been true? Ah so many possibilities… Despite this, it is nice that the drama showed no intention of letting up. There are still consequences. His position as a teacher is put on probation, Masayo gets ostracized, and Natsumi-Shuji’s relationship is still in shambles. Natsumi still hates him for being so nice and not laying out his feelings. The interesting thing about hate though, is that it is so close to love. Oh, did I forget to mention that Natsumi is pregnant?! Gasp! Unpredicted plot twist for the win!
Time lapses and the story is put six months ahead. Shuji is pretty much stuck in a rut, and he admits that he is doing so because it is easy. Eventually he steps up and comes back, claiming that he wants to help Masayo. His intentions aren’t really clear. Is he being a super awesome teacher or is he growing attached to Masayo? Meanwhile Natsumi is all alone with his unborn child. I was kind of thinking that she should move away and fully get rid of him; but that would only happen if the drama intended to have the guy fall in love with the student. This drama is all about redefining love. Sometime after Shuji comes back Natsumi spills the beans and he immediately tries to “take responsibility”. I cheered when she said no. He said this out of obligation, not love. He still is determined to support Masayo (admitting this of course as I almost threw the screen across the room). Knowing that he still hasn’t defined his relationship with her, Natsumi won’t accept him.
Eventually the students find out. A whole production goes on about whether or not to fire them. Because apparently in Japan things are that tight knit (I never knew about teacher relationships, nor did I care when I was in school…just saying). Since the unwed parents are frowned upon as role models, Shuji is told that he will be fired. He agrees to stay until the time comes while Natsumi is sent on maternity leave. Their last days arrive and they say their goodbyes to the students. Shuji leaves his class with the following message, ‘sometimes we get afraid when we see people ahead of us fall, but when we learn that they are still doing ok, we realize that we can do the same’. Aw! During this time Natsumi is sent on an arranged date, and he asks her to marry him. He states that marriage could start with love and eventually be left with nothing; but all the same, marriage could build love out of nothing. She agrees with this logic. However, as she thinks the proposition through she comes to realize that she rather risk it all for love. Meanwhile Shuji is still kind of in a limbo. He meets up with Masayo at a train station with the intentions of sending her off (I think…). At the last minute, he decides to accompany her (to my dismay). During the ride they kind of resolve their issues. That same day he rushes to meet with Natsumi. As he gets there she begins labor and she is sent to the hospital. After the baby is successfully out, he proposes. This time she smiles, cries, and accepts him. At this moment I thought about the feminist side. She could have done it alone; she didn’t need a man to support her. As I thought about it more though, I remembered that they had loved each other from the beginning (albeit stupidly). From the start (before the baby), what she really wanted was for Shuji to step up and tell her that he wanted her. Marriage was always an option, the timing just wasn’t right. The drama ends nicely, with Shuji and Natsumi caring for their child (despite my sinister desire for it to result in a miscarriage…more on that later…) and they look at each other lovingly. The two come to realize that love isn’t all fluffy bunnies and candy canes, it also hurts like hell. The drama is about the obstacles that the two face. Sometimes there is no way around it, they must be willing to endure pain and move on.
Eventually the students find out. A whole production goes on about whether or not to fire them. Because apparently in Japan things are that tight knit (I never knew about teacher relationships, nor did I care when I was in school…just saying). Since the unwed parents are frowned upon as role models, Shuji is told that he will be fired. He agrees to stay until the time comes while Natsumi is sent on maternity leave. Their last days arrive and they say their goodbyes to the students. Shuji leaves his class with the following message, ‘sometimes we get afraid when we see people ahead of us fall, but when we learn that they are still doing ok, we realize that we can do the same’. Aw! During this time Natsumi is sent on an arranged date, and he asks her to marry him. He states that marriage could start with love and eventually be left with nothing; but all the same, marriage could build love out of nothing. She agrees with this logic. However, as she thinks the proposition through she comes to realize that she rather risk it all for love. Meanwhile Shuji is still kind of in a limbo. He meets up with Masayo at a train station with the intentions of sending her off (I think…). At the last minute, he decides to accompany her (to my dismay). During the ride they kind of resolve their issues. That same day he rushes to meet with Natsumi. As he gets there she begins labor and she is sent to the hospital. After the baby is successfully out, he proposes. This time she smiles, cries, and accepts him. At this moment I thought about the feminist side. She could have done it alone; she didn’t need a man to support her. As I thought about it more though, I remembered that they had loved each other from the beginning (albeit stupidly). From the start (before the baby), what she really wanted was for Shuji to step up and tell her that he wanted her. Marriage was always an option, the timing just wasn’t right. The drama ends nicely, with Shuji and Natsumi caring for their child (despite my sinister desire for it to result in a miscarriage…more on that later…) and they look at each other lovingly. The two come to realize that love isn’t all fluffy bunnies and candy canes, it also hurts like hell. The drama is about the obstacles that the two face. Sometimes there is no way around it, they must be willing to endure pain and move on.
I was thinking of typing this more sophisticated like and submitting it to Dramabeans, they need some good Japanese Drama…
(5/1/11) (6:15AM)
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