CoAige's Asian Drama Reviews: Orange Days Drama Review

This has got to be The. Best. Romantic. Drama. I have seen in sooo long ..... (besides Prosecutor Princess. But its a different kind of love. I'll be discussing this in my upcoming review for PP.. watch out for it)
Anyways....
My love for this drama is like OH MY GAWD.

yea.

thats right...its that good

Title: オレンジデイズ
Title (English): Orange Days
Genre: Romance
Episodes: 11
Source: Wikipedia

Cast:
Tsumabuki Satoshi as Yuuki Kai
Shibasaki Kou as Hagio Sae

Narimiya Hiroki as Aida Shohei

Shiraishi Miho as Ozawa Akane
Eita as Yashima Keita

Summary:
Kai Yuuki (Satoshi Tsumabuki) is in his senior year at university studying social welfare
psychology. One day, he meets a girl who is playing violin on the campus. She is Sae Hagio (Kou Shibasaki). In marked contrast to her beautiful tone and attractive looks, her personality is somewhat impertinent, and to top it off, she communicates through very vulgar sign language. Four years ago, she lost the most important thing for a violinist – her hearing. As a result, Sae closed off her inner self from the outside world. Love, job-hunting, friendship. Setting a campus in spring as a drama’s backdrop, it’s the start of a glittering youth drama. – TBS

CoAige's Rating

Overall: 9/10

If I were to describe this drama in one word it would be ....poignant.

Plot: (8/10)

The core of the story is the love story between an average college senior and a not so average deaf musician. But its more than that. Its the friendship between the characters that makes me absolutely adore it. Its the journey that the five take to find out what life had for them after college. Above all its realistic, but not reality. There's no implausible loopholes in the plot and no details on the harsher realities of life (death, poverty, domestic violence...you know those dramas). Maybe that's why it was so fun to watch. People (especially young adults currently attending college ..*cough* me *cough*), can relate to it but it has a happy ending and its uber sweet to watch.

The only problem. Its really sentimental and a bit cliched. So if you're not the type to get emotional or you don't give a darn about people and their problems... skip it.

The development of the romance between the leads was nice and easy to watch. I enjoyed how it took steps to get where they were. Strangers --> Friends --> Liking --> Love --> and finallly..(get ready for it... surpisingly) FAMILY. It wasnt the whole cliche where the guy and girl are all like "My WORLD, LIFE, DREAMS, and GOALS. is. YOU...ONLY YOU." Its more like "I need you to be here to support me, because face it life isn't my best friend...but you are right?" hahaha. Sounds cheesy the way I put it, but its true. Everyone has that person they talk, laugh, cry, throw stuff at.

One thing I hate in romantic drama plots is the angst. Not because its angst (Angst= the core of Rom Dramas). Because its overdone. I can't bear watching scenes over and over where there's misunderstanding over misunderstanding or where the same arguements repeat with only slightly differently lines each time. (i.e. Full House... how many times can you kick Song Hye Kyo out the house, Rain?).

Angst, thank goodness, is done perfectly for Orange Days. Misunderstandings are not dragged out, arguments are heart wrenching rather than eye-rollers, and most importantly... the angst has reason behind it. Bet you didn't see that coming.

The ending. Its the only complaint I have about the plot. I felt it was a little skimmed over. A little rushed. Compared to the scenes and episodes the writer took to explain the progress and start of their relationship, I felt the ending was anti climatic. The emotional scenes and outburst I was expecting wasn't there. [Spoiler] I felt Kai wasn't angry enough. But probably that's just in line with his nice-guy character. Also, I wished that they would have expanded a bit more on Sai's time in Germany, her operation, and her engagement with Haruki... Maybe not. Some dramas make that mistake in dragging that part to long (i.e Fated to Love You). [End of Spoiler] But I have to say last two minutes of the whole drama was my favorite scene. The scenes showing how each of them ended up after college combined with the theme song Sign hit an emotional spot. Its what made the drama so unforgettable. It was a complete, good wrap up to a great drama.

Characters: (9/10)

Shibasaki Kou as Haigo Sai (5/5)

Easily the best performance in the whole drama. I give her props for learning all that sign language. For not speaking more than 10 lines in the whole drama that girl can sure bring out her emotions. It takes not only talent but experience to bring out emotions in the body language, gestures, eyes, and face. (Trust me, as a drama student, I would know). Shibasaki has a fierceness and elegance that matches Sai's character.

As for the character Sai. I didn't like her too much at the beginning. She was arrogant and wallowing in her own self-pity. But as the drama went on, you began to understand her more and appreciate the better qualities-- her strength, perserverance, and independence. Like Kai out it "She's not disabled." It was the most fun watching her character grow from a clammed up cold stranger to someone willing to trust and love like a normal human being, despite all the things she went through.

Tsumabuki Satoshi as Yuuki Kai (4.5/5)

Average-college senior my butt. If every guy looked as good as Tsumabuki no one would bother watching dramas for eyecandy. Truthfully he's the reason I watched Orange Days in the first place. Anyways, what can I say. He does a great job as the understanding patient nice guy. I feel like he is just as capable as his costar, Shibasaki Kou, but he has lest to work with as a character. One thing though. His eyes can kill. He could have been the deaf one doing all the sign language. Don't even mention his jealous pout. If there's one pre-requisite for Romantic Drama Male Leads, its needing a cute jealous look. That gets all the girls rooting for him.

I wish Kai would have been a more interesting character.Kai never really had any emotional battle, or none he should extravagantly. I mean he was the epitome of a nice guy. The closest he ever got to being mad was telling Sai to stop being selfish. Then he apologized like an hour later saying he was too harsh. He was to passive for my liking. I guess he was supposed to be Sai's character foil. She more aggressive and fierce, He more calm and silent. What I loved most about Kai, was his rationality and ability to reason with Sai. Unlike most male dramas who are forever questioning the faithfulness of their girl, he always 100% supported and trusted Sai.

Narimiya Hiroki as Aida Shohei (3.5/5)

Shohei is your average playboy with a softheart. Actually he is what most people would think as the lead of a romantic drama. Cold on the outside with a warm heart. Its funny cuz Kai, on the other hand is the coventional second lead. Their roles were switched around. Anyways I rated Narimiya's performance as a 3.5 because I wasn't particularly found with his angry scenes... His nose flared up too much. And I felt his relationship with his sister wasn't touching or sweet at all. However he did have chemistry with Shiraishi who portrayed Akane.

Eita as Yashima Keita (4/5)

Man. I loved this character. With all the dramatic moments, there's always a need for the lighthearted comedic effect. Keita is no exception. He is adorable. Among all his identity searching and confused friends Keita is always there to bind him together, the necessary peacemaker and glue.Afterall, he was the one who came up with the Orange Society Club. Keita and Kai also make such a cute bromance. I basically LOLed at every little moment together.

Shiraishi Miho as Akane (3.5/5)

The true definition of a best friend. Akane was the only friend who stayed with Sai and bothered learning sign language for her when she lost her hearing. Akane is Sai's Number One fan (right after Kai) and always supportive. She's there to talk to Sai about her Kai problems and is the first one to notice Sai's feelings. Call it womanly instinct or best friend telepathic communcation or whatever. She just wasn't too much of an interesting character so I don't really blame Shiraishi for getting the most forgettable character.

Music (6/10)
I loved the theme song Sign by Mr. Children. Hated everthing else. None of the classic music was too my taste. It's OK I have Nodame Cantabile to make up for it. Just... wasn't Sai supposed to be a musical genious... why did it sound so average.